Bad Liar
by OwlThisWorld
Summary: Dipper continues school at the new Art Academy in Gravity Falls and starts crushing on his Supernatural History Intro. Professor. Little does he know, he knows this professor a lot more than he gives himself credit for. Secrets get unraveled quickly as the little stubborn Pine Tree cannot take no for an answer.
1. Chapter 1

Tears wailed in Dipper's eyes as he gives his twin a tight hug, trying to savor the moment before he had to get onto the shuttle. After years together, they finally decided it was time to all themselves to go after their dream jobs. Unfortunately, that means they will be pursuing their degrees in separate colleges.

"Remember to call me every weekend," Mable cheered as happily as she could, pulling away with a sad smile on her face.

"I will," Dipper responded, wiping the built up tears. "I promise."

Mable watched as her brother got into the shuttle, bags in hand. "Don't summon the dead again while you're there!" she called out, just before the doors shut. Of course, Dipper heard. He chuckled to himself and shook his head while shuffling to his assigned seat.

Truthfully, Dipper already had an associate's degree in journalism and a bachelor's degree in technology and media production but decided to go to a special writing college. His dreams of hosting his own ghost hunting show gone down the drain while he was at his first college. An ex of his made him feel shameful for any of his likes and wants, causing Dipper to have to go through a year of therapy to accept himself again. During that time, he started to write creatively. This triggered his new goal, to become a journalist and author of fictional stories.

A new college opened up two years prior in Gravity Falls called Gravity Fall's Art Academy. Funded by authors and artists, this school was opened to look specifically at certain arts and creative writing history classes. The classes consist of movie media production, stage production, live action, voice acting, along with acting classes and animation and many more. Dipper was more interested in the writing part of the college though due to the history classes. Each topic was a new class so he was only taking the topics he'll enjoy writing about, which was the supernatural and science fiction.

The location for the college ended up being on purpose; thanks to more people visiting the odd town, the supernatural creatures in the forest are the biggest attractions. Some classes even state that field trips into the forest will be required to make sure their stories are accurate. Although some of the original residents don't like the new traffic thanks to the college, Stan loved it. That's where he would be staying for college so he didn't have to get a dorm with someone random.

While on the train, Dipper pulled out his laptop to read more about the school and its' teachers out of boredom. Excitement ran through his heart for the new experience. To have such a specific school in the town Dipper always wanted to move up to really made everything so much easier in deciding what school to go to. A smile crept onto Dipper's lips while he watched his laptop boot up. After a few minutes, the school's site was up along with Dipper's schedule.

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Science Fiction History – Warder, Angelica – Building A Rm 235

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM – Supernatural History Introduction – TBA – Building C Rm 326

Dipper let out a huff of air, biting his lip a bit. 'Still to be announced?' he thought to himself, feeling a little deflated. 'Class starts in a few days, is it going to get canceled?' Sighing softly, he clicked away and pulled up Professor Angelica's bio. Although Dipper received an email stating a professor hasn't been finalized for the second class after he signed up for the college over a few months ago, he still felt disappointed that he won't be able to read up about that teacher before starting school.

The ride went by smoothly but long. Thankfully, Dipper passed the time by writing on his laptop for fun. He thought of writing a book but felt insecure about putting any kind of special character in it. Of course, he knows a lot about the supernatural just from his first trip to Gravity Falls, but that was just one trip. Plus, he already learned not to trust the internet for information due to how much he, himself was able to prove. Therefore, seeing a class that talks about it is his next best thing. Gravity Falls is the perfect place to show everyone that the internet cannot be trusted.

Once he exited the shuttle, he quickly looked around the station while walking to the exit. This was a new system, built just for the students and school. The school sat just across the station with the building for dorms just next to it, making it easy for students to get to their new rooms. Although, due to that, the shuttle only runs on certain days and to certain areas. Only one of these went to California and it wasn't even close to the town he had lived in, causing Mable and him to travel a bit. The area looked very clean and lots of students were on the platform exiting and entering the shuttle. Once he was able to exit the station, he immediately saw his Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford standing next to a newer truck with a sign that read "DIPPER" on the front. He smiled brightly and walked towards them.

"Dipper!" Stan waved happily to him. "Over here!"

"I see you!" Dipper called, waving back. Once he was close enough to his Grunkles, they both gave him a hug.

"Welcome back, buddy!" Stan said cheerfully.

"You grew!" Ford added, ruffling his hair.

"That's what aging does," Dipper laughed.

"How long has it been since you were here?" Ford asked, already knowing the answer but wanting to remanence.

"11 years," Dipper responded, shaking his head as he looked around them. "It feels so weird to be back!"

"Well, it didn't change so," Stan started, grabbing one of Dipper's bags. "You didn't miss much!"

"How have you guys been?" Dipper asked curiously.

"Why don't we get to the Shack," Ford suggested. "Then we can talk all we want."

The ride back was short, roughly about 15 minutes from the school. Once inside, Stan went to the kitchen to get some coffee. Ford and Dipper sat at the table after dropping his bags off in the attic.

"So," Dipper started. "How have you guys been?"

"So-so," Ford responded honestly. "Age is hitting us a little harder than we expected."

"Really?" Dipper scrunched his eyebrows together, voice full of concern.

"Yeah," Ford sighed. "We got a cleaner but I think we should get a cook too. We just can't afford it right now."

"Why not get a house caretaker?" Dipper suggested. "They can take care of everything and it shouldn't be as expensive as having both cleaner and cook."

"I said that," Stan responded before Ford could, setting down coffee in front of both Dipper and Ford. "But this little pansy won't allow anyone else in."

"Not true," Ford argued. "I have a specific hiring process. If they can't handle it, it's their fault."

"Your 'hiring process' is what drives people away!" Stan stated, waving one of his arms towards the door. Dipper signed contently, watching the brothers argue. Nothing's changed between the two.

"What's your hiring process?" Dipper asked.

"I make them take a lie detector test," Ford responded rather quickly. "How else am I supposed to believe it isn't another demon trying to get in? We can't have another Bill event."

"That one-eyed demon is gone!" Stan practically yelled. "Learn to trust!"

Dipper started to chew on his bottom lip again. He understands it's a bit much to do just for a simple job, but he can also understand the paranoia. While the two continued to debate their sides back and forth, Dipper's mind drifted off to when he was 12 again. Although they got out in one piece, it took years for Dipper to not freak out every time he saw a triangle in person. It's crazy to realize how popular the shape was in real life.

Once the two brothers realized Dipper went quiet, Stan cleared his throat and went to get the phone, announcing he was going to order pizza. Ford looked at Dipper and gave an apologetic smile.

"Don't worry about us," he said, ruffling Dipper's hair. "Why don't you go get comfortable?"

"Sure," Dipper nodded, getting to his feet. "I'll be back down though!"

"When do your classes start?" Ford asked quickly.

"Two days from now," he responded easily. "Just enough time to get settled and start."

With that, Dipper excused himself and made his way to the attic. Once inside, he let out a soft sigh before unpacking his bags. He glanced over to the second bed in the room, feeling lonely at the site of the empty bed.

"It's okay," Dipper spoke softly to himself, looking back to his bag as he took his laptop out. "I'll be okay."

The two days came and went rather quickly, leaving Dipper feeling jittery over his first day of school. He arrived early to the school, going to the area for new students to get a printed schedule. The site still didn't have a teacher listed for the second class so he was hoping that getting the printed schedule would provide an update with the professor's name. He never got an email stating they were unable to find one so he assumed they did but just didn't update it on the school's site.

He was in line for a few minutes before feeling a tap on his shoulder. Turning around, he was greeted with a wide, cheeky grin. The person had short, white hair with freckles on his cheeks but his looks screamed familiar. It didn't take long to remember who was standing in front of him.

"Pines!" he greeted cheerfully. "Oh my god, it's actually you!" He started to look around rather quickly. "Where's Mabel? I haven't seen my love in so long!"

"Nice to see you too, Gideon," Dipper greeted, rolling his eyes. "Mabel didn't want to come back to school, we already got our degrees."

Confusion crossed over Gideon's face. "Then what are you doing here?"

"Really?" Dipper crossed his arms. "You greet me, asked about my sister, and now you don't want me here?" An amused chuckle left Gideon's lips.

"I'm shocked to see you two separate," Gideon explained. A quick thought came to Gideon and he got excited for a moment. "That means she's alone and you can't stop me now!" An exaggerated gasp came from him. "I have a chance!"

Before Dipper could argue or ask anything else, he watched Gideon turn around and jog away. Grunting a bit, he decided to let it go. It's not like he knew where Mable lived anyways, seeing that she moved in with a friend after Dipper left. Oh well, Gideon wasn't patient enough to learn that.

After getting his printed schedule, he looked at it and smiled happily as he read the paper.

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM – Science Fiction History – Warder, Angelica – Building A Rm 235

1:30 PM – 3:00 PM – Supernatural History Introduction – Cider, William – Building C Rm 326

'Yes!' he thought to himself happily. He started to walk towards the school's library, wanting to read all about Professor Cider before he entered his class. On his way there, he spotted a few other people he knew from 11 years ago. Turns out, a lot of the residents go to the school to have something to do. A lot of them took music classes like dancing or singing and songwriting, just to give themselves something to do in the rather boring town. The school's music program was pretty popular, tons of students had musical instruments and he even saw some groups of students singing on the grass together. Unfortunately, with so many people stopping him, he didn't have the time to go to the library without being late to his first class. Sighing in frustrating, he told himself he would go after the first class.

His first class went smoothly, just simple introductions to the school, class, then each other. Pacifica was in this class, sitting right next to Dipper before the class began. Dipper was thrown off a bit but she quickly explained that she remembered him and Mable and didn't want to sit next to complete strangers. They exchanged numbers along with handing over Mable's number to the blonde. Once class was over, they sat with each other in the cafeteria, while waiting for 1:30 to roll around.

"So how are you and your sister?" Pacifica asked, sitting up straight in her chair.

'Damn,' Dipper thought to himself, watching her place her arms properly on her lap. 'She even sits like she's rich.' Internally rolling his eyes, he smiled to the blonde.

"We're good," he responded. "Mable got a degree in sales and business. She also took a bunch of design and art classes to start up her sweater business. Speaking of-" Dipper reached into his bag and pulled his wallet out. Within seconds, he had a business card in his hand that was decorated in unicorns, ice cream, and dinosaurs. "This is her site, she designs and sells her sweaters now and even takes custom orders."

Pacifica smiled sweetly and took the card, staring at the card with an unreadable expression. "I hope she responds to me," she admitted, her voice low, hoping Dipper wouldn't hear.

"She's probably just on a sales pitch if she's not responding," Dipper responded, placing his wallet back into his bag.

They continued to chat and catch up until Dipper had to leave. Once 1:15 PM rolled around, he stood and said his goodbyes before leaving. It didn't take long to find the classroom because the class was practically there already waiting outside. Feeling a little nervous, he went up to one of the students.

"Hey," he greeted softly. The boy looked at him weirdly and didn't respond. "I-is this Professor Cider's class?"

Without speaking, the student nodded and looked away from him. Dipper nodded a bit then backed away from the student who clearly didn't want to be spoken to. Feeling awkward, he stood there with his arms crossed and eyes locked on the closed classroom door. Realization dawned on him that he never went to the library to read about the teacher. Rubbing his face, Dipper started to feel frustrated over his forgetfulness.

A few minutes passed before the door opened and students filed out of the classroom. Once the last of the students were out, Dipper and his class went inside. While most students saw in the mid to upper rows, Dipper walked happily towards the front of the classroom and sat down in the middle of the front row. In front of the students was a desk where Dipper assumed was Professor Cider but he was packing up his things for some reason. Once the students settled down, the teacher gathered his bags and smiled at the class as he silently left the room.

'Uh…' Dipper thought as he watched the teacher leave. 'Guess not?' He looked back ahead of himself and slumped back against the seat.

Several minutes passed before two people walked into the classroom. Once they entered, all the students turned and watched them reach the front of the classroom and placed their stuff down. One of the men turned and smiled at the class.

"We apologize for the delay," he held his hands to his sides. "My name is Andrew Stern, just the helper of the teacher." With that, he moved and sat on at a desk to the side of the classroom. He was a tall man with dark hair with kind brown eyes. Both men were wearing suits but the actual Professor's looked more casual than formal. Once the other man was seated, the Professor turned around and smiled at the classroom.

"Good afternoon!" he greeted, placing his hands on his thighs. "I'm sure you all know who I am by now, considering you all should have picked up a schedule this morning." As he said that, Dipper heard other students shuffle around to pull their papers out. The Professor Cider was tall as well, just not as tall as Helper Stern. Instead of dark hair and eyes, Professor Cider had a blonde mop on his head with honey eyes. His hair was brushed but not styled at all. "Welcome to Supernatural History Introduction. In this class, we will go over the history of authors that wrote about the supernatural in novels and plays along with the reality of how those creatures are. We'll go over what is real and what is fake. Any questions so far about the class or anything with the school? I can tell there are some new students with us."

A few students raised their hands along with Dipper. The Professor called on a few different students before getting to him. Once Professor Cider's eyes landed on Dipper, the boy felt his heart drop to his stomach. His striking eyes pierced right though Dipper, making him feel small. While he was stuck in his stare down with the teacher, he didn't realize that the teacher hesitated before asking him what his question was.

"Have you ever experienced anything from the supernatural?" Dipper forced himself to ask, trying to calm his beating heart. Why was this teacher so good looking?

"More than you'll know," he answered quickly before looking for another student to answer questions from. Dipper's heart started to beat faster as the professor's voice reached his ears. He told himself it was because that meant they got a good teacher for the class, not because the hot professor had such a warm voice when answering questions.

Once all the questions were answered, he had everyone go around and introduce themselves. As each student spoke, the professor pulled out a seating chart and began to jot the names of the student's down in the chairs they were already in. He kept his eyes down the whole time until it got to Dipper. Once it was his turn, he cleared his throat quietly before standing as the other students had. Dipper kept his eyes on the professor and as soon as he stood up, the professor let his eyes raise from the seating chart and locked with the student's eyes.

"My name is Dipper Pines," he started. Dipper watched as the professor visibly froze. Heart beating hard in his chest, Dipper sat back down and fiddled with his fingers. The students continued to introduce themselves. It took a few moments before Professor Cider went back to writing the names down.

After the students were done, the professor shifted the topic to what to expect in the classroom. At the end of class, Dipper watched as a few different students go up to the professor greeting him and even giving him a hug. The helper was already by the professor's side getting greeted by the same students. Biting his lip again, Dipper gathered his things before slowly walking up to the professor. As the students were talking to Professor Cider, he was also packing up his items, possibly to go to the next class he will be teaching.

Once he was done getting his items, he noticed Dipper's presence and his smile faltered a bit. He almost looked flustered to Dipper, which in turn caused his own heart start to race again. He stood there quietly, seeing another student talking to him about another class she has with him. After a few moments of talking back with her, he looked at a couple of students that were in front of them.

"I'm really sorry guys," he started, picking up his bags. "We have to get to our next class, it's across campus." The students forgave him quickly and he glanced at Dipper for a moment before walking around the group of students and leaving the classroom with the helper.

Dipper couldn't help but feel a tad disappointed. Sighing softly, he walked in front of the other students, not that far from the professor and helper. He could tell they were talking to each other but was too far to hear anything. It was obvious to Dipper that the professor still seemed stiffer than he did when he entered the class.

"Dipper!" a female voice called suddenly. Dipper stopped walking and tore his eyes away from the professor's back in search of the mysterious voice. A tall redhead that was waving to him from a ways away, walking over to him. Dipper smiled brightly and looked back at the professor's back once more before going up to his friend. As soon as he looked at him though, he noticed the professor looking back and at Dipper as he continued walking. Professor Cider looked back in front of himself quickly once they locked eyes. Dipper felt his ears ringing but ignored the feeling, jogging to catch up with Wendy.

"Hey!" he greeted, immediately bringing her into a hug. Wendy hugged back and laughed softly.

"It's crazy to see you!" she peered up to him. "Look who hit a growth spurt!" Wendy and Dipper laughed together cheerfully.

"Purity," Dipper laughed. "Am I right?" Looking at his old friend, Dipper felt warm but not like before. When he was a child, he was head over heels for this woman. But now, Dipper was happy and bi-sexual. He came out to everyone when he turned 18-years-old, in fear of being rejected and kicked out. Thankfully, his family did the exact opposite.

"Oh man," she crossed her arms and checked him out. "It did a number on you, that's for sure! I bet you're already in a long term relationship with that face."

Dipper shook his head and scratched the back of his neck, chuckling softly. "Nope, still forever alone."

Wendy rolled her eyes. "I bet you'll find yourself an awesome lover at this school, there are hotties everywhere."

Dipper laughed nervously. "I actually have a really hot professor for my Supernatural class."

Wendy cocked her eyebrow. "Oh, really? I have a really hot teacher for my Music Theory class! You know the best part of college?" Dipper tilted his head and shook his head. "You can date your teachers!"

* * *

Thank you very much for reading! Any reviews/opinions would be greatly appreciated! 3


	2. Chapter 2

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Dipper jumped from his sleep, startled by the alarm. Rubbing his tired eyes, he reached for his phone to turn his alarm off. He yawned and stretched before getting up. After he was dressed, he headed downstairs with his school items. Once he enters the kitchen, he smells eggs and sausage.

"Morning, kid!" Stan greeted him, standing at the stove with a slouch.

"Good morning, Grunkle Stan," Dipper greeted.

"Where were you last night?" he asked curiously.

Dipper didn't get home until both Stan and Ford were asleep due to hanging out with Wendy for so long. Soos and his now wife were managers of the gift shop, so with the less work for Stan, he went to bed quite early. While technically Stan still owns the gift shop, Soos is the main manager while his wife helps manage the weekend shifts. By the time he got back, he helped close the gift shop down with them.

"I came back around 8, after being with Wendy," Dipper responded, getting himself a cup of coffee. "Then I caught up with Soos while he was closing last night."

"Gotta love that man," Stan chuckled and walked to place a plate of hash browns, sausage, and eggs for Dipper. "He makes life a lot easier."

"Where do they live now?" Dipper asked, sitting down and digging into the food.

"They built their own cabin while Ford and I were on our trip," Stan explained, setting down a plate for Ford who was currently absent. "It's not far."

Dipper nodded. "They didn't want to stay here?"

Stan shrugged and remarked. "After Abuelita passed away, Soos and Melody wanted a new space so we took over the Shack again. I don't care, I'm just glad they're still taking care of the gift shop."

Before Dipper could respond, Ford walked into the kitchen still wearing pajama bottoms. Stan walked back to the stove to get his own food and Ford smiled to Dipper.

"Morning," Ford sat next to Dipper. Dipper smiled back and waved, mouth full of food. "How was your first day?"

"It was good," Dipper responded, swallowing his food. "I have a hot teacher."

Ford raised his eyebrow and chuckled, "Uh-oh. Look like someone caught your eye." Dipper blushed a bit but shook his head.

"Oh, no, no, no," he sputtered. "I just think he's the hottest guy I've ever laid my eyes on."

"Hot guy?!" Stan asked suddenly, sitting down at the table. Dipper bit his lip a bit, unsure if he had told them about his sexuality. "Look here, kid," he leaned in close to Dipper. "I know you like dudes, but the hot ones are the ones to avoid. Always bad news."

A wave a relief passed over Dipper before he shook his head again, rolling his eyes playfully. "I don't like him, I literally just have him as a professor."

"Yeah but this is college," Ford chimed in. "You're an adult."

"I'm not going to ask out my teacher," Dipper remarked. "Physical attraction means nothing if the heart isn't there."

"Good," Stan responded, digging into his own food. Ford rolled his eyes but didn't respond, not fully believing Dipper.

Dipper and Pacifica ate in the cafeteria together again, talking about Mable and her different relationships she was in during her time in college. Once the conversation died down, Dipper suddenly remembered his want to look up the bio about his professor.

"How long have you been at this school?" Dipper asked, hoping maybe she would know some information.

"A few years," Pacifica responded. "I told my parents I would go to their online school they picked out if they allowed me to take a few classes here. They didn't care, it's not like we have homework from these classes anyways."

"Do you know a Professor Cider?" he asked, hopeful. Sadly, Pacifica shook her head.

"Haven't heard his name," she shrugged. "Have you looked his bio on the school's site?" Dipper shook his head.

"I meant to yesterday but was overwhelmed with how many old friends I saw," he explained.

"When does your next class start?" she asked.

Checking the time, he responded quickly. "40 minutes."

"Go to the library," she suggested. "Just ask and they'll let you on a computer."

After saying his goodbyes, Dipper headed towards the library. Unfortunately, he didn't know where the library was located so he found himself exploring the school since he didn't take the time to the day before. The buildings were two-story, placed next to each other to form an O shape. The center of the field was a stage.

'Probably where school concerts take place,' Dipper thought to himself. Walking around the stage took a little longer than he actually expected. Once he passed the stage, he saw the library right in his sight, a single story that says "Books" on the outside. He checked the time then lightly jogged to the building before he was out of time.

The librarian didn't look up from her computer as Dipper asked to check the computer for a moment, just immediately handing him a paper with the login to the computers. He got to a computer rather quickly, trying to still have time to get to his second class a little early. The computer took a bit to load but once the proper page was pulled up, he typed in his professor's name. He watched the page load with anticipation until an error screen popped up. Crinkling his eyebrow a bit, Dipper sighed. That can't be right. He checks the time and closed the page, quickly leaving the library for his class. Thoughts about the now mysterious professor surfaced his mind.

'Maybe he's just too new?' his brain asked himself. By the time he got to class, all the students have already gotten to their seats they were in the day before. Dipper sat in the same spot and waited for the teacher to arrive. This time though, he registered his heart skipping a beat when he heard the doors open as the helper and professor entered the room. Today, the professor wore a flannel with suspenders and black jeans. A few students perked up and a few even greeted him as he placed his items down.

Once settled, Professor Cider turned to the class. "Hello again!" he greeted cheerfully. "Welcome back, we're going to actually talk about some stuff today so please take notes."

While the students got out their notebooks, Helper Stern helped the professor get a power point up and rolling. After a few minutes, the lesson began. It was really basic information at the start, just what they would go over in the first quarter of the semester. This first week was about gnomes and zombies. A lot of the factual information, Dipper already knew thanks to Ford's journal and his personal experience. Once the lesson was over, the students were asked to spend the rest of the day writing a short scene of either of the creatures.

At the end of class, Dipper got up and walked up to the professor a little quicker than the previous day. This time, only one other student got to the professor first. Once the student's questions were answered, Dipper felt his heart flutter in his chest when Professor Cider looked at him. He barely stood a few inches taller than himself, but Dipper still felt small under his gaze.

"How c-can I help you?" the teacher asked hesitatingly, starting to gather his items from the desk and looking away from the student.

"U-uhm," Dipper didn't think he'd feel this nervous to talk directly to his professor. "I-l tried looking your bio up on the school's site," he started. At this statement, he noticed the blond freezing and looked up at Dipper again quickly. "But I can't find you on the site." Dipper watched as the professor visibly relaxed.

"That's okay," Cider smiled softly, picking up his bag. "It's just basic information, nothing important." Helper Stern suddenly grabbed the blond man's elbow.

"Let's go," he stated firmly. Cider narrowed his eyes a bit before looking back at Dipper.

"See you tomorrow?" he asked, starting to walk towards the door.

"Y-yes!" Dipper smiled, not expecting that question as a goodbye. Cider smiled back to him sweetly before turning and leaving the classroom. Dipper stood still for a few moments, watching the figure leave the room.

The next few weeks went in the same way. Soon enough, he started talking about his own experiences with the supernatural in his class to other students. Professor Cider seemed impressed with the stories, occasionally commenting on the stories himself. By the end of their first month was their first field trip to a part of the forest. This had been something Dipper was really looking forward to, not just because he would be able to see old creatures that he enjoyed investigating, but his professor would be there too. He had a chance to further impress the teacher.

Once they were inside a meadow in the forest, with a proper trail to guide them back, the professor stood in front of the group of students. The students were looking around the open area they were in, in awe at the beauty.

"This is one of the safest areas in this forest," Cider started to explain. "There are hidden creatures here that don't like to be disturbed. The assignment is simple, go find one of the creatures and study it. Do not touch it, do not bother it, just watch. You're looking for its' personality traits, what it eats, along with a quick description. That can either be with a drawing or description, whichever you're more comfortable with. Any questions?"

None of the students spoke up. With that, the students were allowed to separate to work on their assignment. Around the meadow were creatures from gnomes, barf fairies, to leprecorns. While some students were gawking at the question quails, cowls, and hawktopuses; Dipper was searching for a stomach-faced duck. He's only ever seen one in the journal and to see that there was a small pound towards the edge of the meadow, he was hoping this might actually be his lucky day!

Dipper gasped softly to himself as he kneeled down to watch the duck swimming. Opening his notebook, Dipper made himself comfortable on the grass and started to sketch out the duck's appearance. He watched the duck swimming around for a little bit before more, bigger ducks waddled over and splashed themselves into the pond. The other ducks had fish in their mouths and the smaller duck didn't hesitate to take one of them that was hanging out. While Dipper wrote down the necessary information for the assignment, he saw in the corner of his eye his professor making his way over to where Dipper had seated himself.

Heat began to creep its' way into his cheeks as he tried to ignore the presence and stare at his book. Even though it's been a little while now, Dipper started catching himself daydreaming about the teacher's smile. It's gotten so bad that Stan has even tried giving him actual relationship advice, though Dipper just ignored it. After the last time he took his advice, he made too many girls angry with him. He stayed silent as Cider kneeled down next to him.

"How's it going over here?" he asked softly, careful not to disturb the family of ducks in front of themselves. Dipper looked over to the teacher and smiled a bit.

"It's going good," he responded, showing off the drawing of the creature. "I'm about done."

"That's really good," Cider complemented the photo. "You might be the first one done, I'm going around to offer help. Care to help other students once you're done? You're really knowledgeable about these creatures, your scores are good."

Dipper's face flushed at the compliment, suddenly feeling shy from the sweet honey that dripped in his professor's voice. "S-sure!"

"Thanks," the teacher smiled brightly and ruffled his hair. "Knew I could count on you." As he started to get up, Dipper suddenly grabbed the teacher's wrist.

"W-wait," Dipper spoke rather quickly. Cider stopped moving and stared back at Dipper questionably. "I, uhm, had a question."

Settling down back on the grass next to Dipper, the blond asked, "What can I help you with?"

"How old are you?" Dipper asked suddenly, catching the professor off guard.

"About to turned 27," he answered, feeling confused over the question. "What about you?"

"Turned 23 in August," Dipper responded, smiling a bit. "When's your birthday?"

An amused look crossed Cider's face. "Why?"

Dipper shrugged. "What if I wanted to get you something?" he mused. "You always have students around you, I'm sure birthday gifts aren't too weird to receive from students."

"You're not wrong," he chuckled softly. "October 13th. Any other questions?"

Dipper hesitated before taking in a big breath before speaking. "Do you want to hang out sometime?"

Cider raised an eyebrow at him. "Are you trying to ask me out?"

Dipper looked down for a moment then nodded. "You really seem like someone I would at least want to be friends with," he explained, finishing up what he was writing in his notebook, feeling very insecure all the sudden. Cider didn't respond right away, staring at Dipper as he wrote. Once Dipper was done writing, he rubbed his hands together.

"Sorry, kid," he started to answer. "I don't think you'd like me if you knew who I was." Dipper looked over to the professor, feeling a little rejected.

"Can't knock it until you try, right?" Dipper tried again. "Just coffee?"

Cider took a slow breath in and looked back to the ducks in the water. "Thank you for the invitation, but I know you can find better company." Dipper stayed quiet for a moment before watching his professor stand up to leave.

"Can you think about it?" he asked softly, trying not to sound too pushy.

Cider sighed softly and looked down to the student. "Why don't you go to the office and ask about me? I'm sure they'll give you that bio you asked for a few weeks back." With that, he turned and left to go back to the other students that were in need to help.

As soon as Dipper got back to campus, he went straight to the main office as the professor had suggested. Confusion ran through Dipper's mind like when he failed to get the bio from the library. He didn't expect the office to give a professor's bio, he just figured they would just redirect the student to the site. Pushing his thoughts aside, he went to the front desk. A lady with pink hair looked up from her computer and smiled sweetly to him.

"Can I help you?" she asked softly.

"Yeah, I have Professor Cider's class and I tried going online to read his bio online but it wasn't there," Dipper explained. Confusion flashed over the girl's face.

"Cider?" she asked, contorting her face into confusion. Dipper nodded. "I'm sorry, we don't have a teacher here by that name."

"What?" Dipper narrowed his eyes in confusion. "That's impossible, I go to his class every day."

"What does he teach?" she questioned, starting to type on her computer.

"Supernatural History Introduction," Dipper responded, taking out his schedule from his wallet and handing the paper to the lady. The woman accepted the paper and read the paper before sighing.

"I'm so sorry," she started, looking back up at Dipper. "His name is misspelled, it probably is because he has a weird last name. That's not your teacher's name."

Embarrassment washed over Dipper. He'd been saying his teacher's name wrong for the entire first month of his new school. No wonder he was rejected, he can't even say his name right!

"Here, I'll print you a new one with his correct name," she clicked a few things on her computer before standing to retrieve the newly printed paper. "Here you go," she said as she handed the paper over. "His bio is on the school's site if you want to read it. Might be easier to find with the correct last name. Anything else?"

Without looking at the paper, Dipper smiled to the lady. "Thank you very much. Actually, yeah. Do you know why it took so long for the teacher to be announced?"

"Anytime," she responded and sat back down. "The class you're in is just an experiment class and it took a while to go through interviews for the class. He's a well-respected professor around the school and is crazy knowledgeable about that kind of topic so it was an obvious choice once his interview took place. Whoever was supposed to update the site probably just delayed on posting the teacher's name."

After thanking the office support, he left the room. He held the paper in front of himself to read the actual teacher's name he apparently had wrong.

1:30 PM - 2:30 PM – Supernatural History Introduction – Cipher, William – Building C, Rm 326

Dipper stopped in his tracks as his eyes widened at the name. 'There's no way…' he thought to himself, feeling panic stirring through his veins. Without thinking, Dipper ran out of the main building and towards his class. Once he was there, he stopped before opening the room to try to calm his racing mind. He tried opening the door but found it locked. 'Duh!' Dipper groaned as he looked at the time. He's at a different building with a different class. Dipper decided to confront him about his new knowledge about him the next day.

Dipper caught up with Wendy at a new coffee shop after he left the school. Almost instantly, Wendy could tell her friend was distressed.

"Yo," she greeted him. "What's up? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"That's because I did," he stated flatly and sat down, sitting down next to the redhead and running his hands through his hair. "I've been saying my hot teacher's name wrong this entire time and now I fear he's not who he is pretending to be."

Wendy raised an eyebrow. "Explain."

"You know Professor Cider?" he asked, placing one arm on the table. Wendy nodded.

"You said that was your Supernatural History teacher, right?" she asked.

"Yes," he confirmed. "Apparently he's professor Cipher. William Cipher."

Wendy opened her eyes and gasped. "You have THAT hot professor?" She sounded more excited than Dipper would expect her to. "Oh my god! He's like a legend at the school, his classes are always the first to fill up. He's my music theory teacher!"

Dipper shook his head, not really taking anything she said in. "Wendy, that has to be Bill. Remember? From when I was 12?"

"Bill?" Wendy asked, holding her fingers up to her eye to make a three-sided shape. "Like triangle dude Bill?" Dipper nodded but she shook her head. "No way, he's way too nice! He donates like a couple grand to the academy every month. He's like the nicest and funniest professors the school has. There has to be just some irony."

Dipper didn't seem convinced. "I'm going to get to the bottom of it. I'm going to confront him tomorrow after class."

"Alright dude," she held up her hands initially that she gave up. "Do what you gotta do. All I'm saying is he's an awesome guy. Doesn't seem to have many friends other than that helper of his. Tell me how it goes after."

Dipper nodded and sighed heavily. He's anxious to go to the class now, even though it's for the opposite reason than when he first went to the class.


	3. Chapter 3

As soon as Dipper got home, he immediately searched for Ford. As soon as he entered the house, he saw both of the brothers sitting in the living room, laughing at an old comedy show together. When Dipper entered the room, Ford looked to him and began to pat the spot next to him.

"Welcome back, Dipper," he greeted, getting Stan's attention. Stan sat up and motioned to the kitchen.

"Mable sent you a package," he started before settling back down almost immediately. "It's on the table."

Dipper looked towards the kitchen, tempted to see what his sister sent but decided it was okay to let it sit there a bit longer and looked back at his Grunkles. "Do you guys know what happened to Bill?"

This questions caused Stan and Ford to stiffen a bit. Fear flashed over Ford's face while anger flashed over Stan's.

"I killed that bastard," Stan barked, narrowing his eyes at the thought of the demon.

"Why?" Ford asked quickly.

"There better be a good answer," Stan grunted, clearly upset. "For you to bring that thing up."

"I think he's my teacher," Dipper stated. Both of the brothers froze in their spots before looking back at each other.

"Think?" Ford pressed, looking back at Dipper. "What makes you think that?"

"My teacher's name is William Cipher," he explained quickly. "Bill is the most common nickname for William, there's no way it's not." Stan shook his head while his brother continued speaking.

"How do you know it's not a coincidence?"

"You know, William is a common name," Stan added.

"Explain his last name then!" Dipper argued, starting to feel embarrassed that no one was believing him. The brother shrugged.

"I just don't want to believe he's back," Ford admitted, looking defeated. "We don't have the bodies to fight anymore."

"If you're afraid of that," Stan started. "Then ask to change teachers."

"I won't be able to do that," the brunette groaned. "If he's back, someone has to stop him. I'll do my own investigation. I won't let him destroy any more lives."

With that, Dipper stepped out of the living room and into the kitchen, seeing the bright pink and purple box on the table. A frustrated sigh left Dipper's lips and placed his school bag down, missing his sister dearly. Upon opening the box, a small smile tugged on his lips. The box was full of neatly folded sweaters, all different colors, and designs. On top sat a letter from his beloved sister.

'What's up Dippin-Dot!

I miss you like craaazzzyy, bro-bro! Julie is starting to really bug me, she's getting a little too nosy in my business and I had to get a lock on my door because I caught her in my room when I was gone all night. She drank all my wine too! I want to move in with you so badly!

Anyways, I hope everything is going amazingly there! Can't wait for our next phone call, stop forgetting me! I want to hear more about your hot teacher you told me about; you know you're an adult right? Kidding!

Everyone has their own sweater inside! I also included one Pacifica asked for, can you give it to her, please? Oh! Ask Grunkle Stan and Ford if I can come up for Christmas!

I love you! See you soon!

Love, Mabel'

Dipper chewed on his bottom lip, rereading the letter before picking through the box and pulling out the sweaters that were labeled Stan and Ford. He walked the sweaters and letter back to his Grunkles and saw them zoning back into their show. Stan looked at Dipper when he noticed the items in his arms.

"She still makes sweaters?" Stan asked excitedly, starting to stand up. Dipper nodded and handed the sweaters to the proper brother.

"I guess she's having issues with her roommate," he started to say, handing the letter over to show Stan. The old man read the paper before huffing and handing the letter to Ford.

"Of course she's allowed to move in!" he stated, looking back at Dipper. "Call her up and tell her to pack her things, I'll pay for her ticket and pick her up from her house myself."

Quickly, Dipper nodded and turned to leave the room to get his phone from his bag. Once it was in his hands, he immediately called his sister. It rang a couple of times before he was greeted with his sister's cheerful voice.

"Dipper!" she cheered, happily. "What is this? A surprise call?" Dipper chuckled and shook his head, knowing she couldn't see him.

"We got your package," he told her. "I showed the letter to Grunkle Stan and he said he'll pay for your ticket and get you from that house if you really do want to move here." Mabel gasped dramatically.

"Really?" she asked in excitement. "Yes! I'll start packing now!" Before he could respond, she said her goodbyes and hung up. Shrugging a bit, he let his Grunkles know about her response and Stan stood up a bit.

"Alright, I'll go get her," he stated, starting to lump over to the stairs. "Don't want someone that sketchy around my family," he grumbled to himself.

"Hey," Ford called, standing up and walking to the stairs as well. "I can go for you, you're not in a good enough shape."

"Bite me," Stan commented, ignoring his brother's protests.

"Don't be stubborn," Ford retorted. "We both know you're better off here."

"You're the same age as me!" Stan shot back. Dipper rolled his eyes and left the brothers to debate over who would go pick his sister up from her home.

The next day, his Grunkles had left in the morning. Ford was going to be the one getting her from her house while Stan just drove him there. Dipper walked to his school's campus, sweater in hand, trying to gather his thoughts about how to approach who he believed was the demon from his childhood. Once he entered his first class, his eyes landed on Pacifica. He sat down next to her and plopped the sweater on her desk.

"Form Mabel," he told her. Pacifica's confused eyes turned bright at the sound of his sister's name. Her cheeks flushed a light pink as she grabbed the sweater and hugged it to herself without thinking. Dipper raised an eyebrow at her and she quickly let the sweater go, her face turning a brighter red.

"Y-you saw nothing," she stated firmly. Shaking his head, he let himself chuckle a bit.

"If you liked the sweater that much," he commented, "you'll like the news I bring." Pacifica looked at him with her brows crinkled, waiting for him to continue. "Stan left this morning to pick Mabel up from the house she was staying in. She's going to move up here."

Pacifica widened her eyes a bit but didn't respond. Words weren't needed though, the blush that rose to her cheeks was enough to let Dipper know that Mabel meant something more than just an old friend. As soon as she opened her mouth to respond, the teacher called their attention to begin class.

Once the class was over, Dipper and Pacifica made their way to the cafeteria when he thought of his next class.

"So I found out why I couldn't find my teacher's bio," Dipper said as he sat down.

"Yeah?" Pacifica asked, taking out a plastic container with some food. She already was wearing the sweater from Mabel, not caring the colors clashed with her current outfit. "Why's that?"

"My schedule didn't have his proper name," he explained. "I thought it was Professor Cider but it's actually Cipher."

"Oh," she looked up, knowingly. "He's been here since the school opened."

Dipper was taken aback a bit. "Really?" Suddenly the thoughts of the teacher possibly being there to hurt the students or school started to wither away. "B-but don't you know who he is?"

"Other than an overly attractive, far too polite, lonely man?" Pacifica shook her head. "No one really knows anything about him, just where he went to school and that he's turned down every date since he started here. Even teachers were trying to get his attention."

Dipper groaned a bit and shook his head. "I don't understand, if you knew he was here, why didn't you tell me about him?"

"I don't like boys," she stated flatly and started to eat the fruit that was packaged neatly. Dipper nodded slowly, making himself think more about her not-so-subtle crush for his twin. "You mentioned Cider, not Cipher. Too many of these teacher's names are similar; you know we have a Professor Ted and a Professor Tad? I thought you actually meant Cider, not someone close to that name."

"Why is he so nice?" Dipper asked.

"Why would he be mean?" Pacifica asked back.

"Do you remember Bill Cipher?" he ignored her question, instead of leaning in a bit. "The evil demon from when we were kids?"

Pacifica sighed. "I thought you guys killed him? Or your Great uncle did?"

"We were under the impression that he did but my teacher's first name is William," he explained quickly. "Please, believe me. I doubt Cider is much of a common last name. It has to be him."

"You sound paranoid," she responded. "Do you have proof other than his name?" Dipper leaned back in his chair and sighed heavily, shaking his head. "Do you know what happens when you assume?"

"You make an 'ass' out of 'u' and 'me,'" he responded, rubbing his face. "But there's no way it's just ironic."

"Maybe you want it to be," she stated simply. "Maybe you do like him more than you give yourself credit for. All you talk about is what you do in that class, how excited you are to go there, how nice he is- I bet you have a crush on him."

Dipper's heart began to race as heat rushed to his cheeks. "No!" he exclaimed as quietly as he could. "I need to find out who he is!"

"Sounds like you need to ask him on a date," she sighed softly. "Too bad he doesn't date. No one even knows his sexuality. Good luck." Dipper ignored her comment and changed the subject.

Once Dipper got to the classroom, he sat anxiously waiting for the professor and helper to enter the room. After several minutes, the two he was waiting for entered the room. Today, the professor wore a yellow sweater with the same black pants he wears all the time. When both of the males were settled in, Cipher smiled at the class but it quickly faded when his eyes land on Dipper. He pushed his blond hair out of his face, forcing himself to look away and avoid the brown eyes burning holes into his skin.

"Good afternoon," he greeted, his voice dripping with anxiety. "Welcome back again, I hope everyone had fun in the forest yesterday."

Dipper could hear a few students started murmuring to each other, mentioning the teacher seeming off. Ignoring the snide comments, he continued staring daggers into Cipher.

"Today," he cleared his throat a bit. "I want to leave the conversation up to you guys. Since it's Friday, we can do this before the weekend. Do you guys want to know about anything?"

Almost instantly, half the class had their hand raised, including Dipper. Professor Cipher started on the opposite side from Dipper, trying to avoid his questions as much as he could. Most students asked about basic supernatural creatures, like vampires, werewolves, unicorns, etc. A few questions were about some things they have learned about already but he did a really good job at making Dipper's question wait until close to the end of class. Once no one else had questions, Dipper finally got called in by the professor.

"Have you ever met a demon?" Dipper boldly asked. The class gasped softly, no one really thinking of those creatures. Professor Cipher stared at Dipper and sighed at the sound of the class's reaction.

"Yes," he answered. Looking away, Professor Cipher looked to see if someone else would raise their hand to get him out of the conversation.

"What demons have you met?" Dipper pushed, not caring the other looked away. If anything. This told him that he hit the nail. Professor Cipher looked back at the younger boy and sighed through his nose.

"Have you met a demon?" he asked back, annoyance hinting in his voice.

"Actually," Dipper straightened up in his chair. "Yes. I have."

"Then you should know," he crossed his arms and leaned against his desk. "You never speak their names."

Dipper and Cipher stared at each other for a few moments, leaving the class confused and staring at the odd couple.

"If you can't speak their names," Dipper started again, "can you tell us how you met them?" He watches as the teacher's jaw tremble slightly.

"Why don't you tell us your story?" Cipher forced himself to ask.

"I don't see why you can't share your story," Dipper hand his hand up in defense. "Professor Cipher. I thought you were all knowing?" There was a mocking tone in his voice, enjoying watching the teacher squirm. Every action was just confirming Dipper's theory. Professor Cipher was quiet, staring back at Dipper. The annoyance was readable on his face.

"Everyone has their own story," he spoke quietly, trying to hold something back. "If you're not comfortable sharing yours, don't ask other's to share theirs."

Dipper didn't respond, instead leaning back in his seat and continued to stare at Cipher. A few other students started to raise their hands, asking different questions about demons now. At the end of class, Dipper was long already packed up but he immediately went to the teacher. Since it was just an opened discussion today, the helper already had their items packed up, ready to go. Unfortunately for Dipper, Cipher and Stern were already headed towards the door. Before he could think, he grabbed the teacher's elbow and stopped him from walking. Professor Cipher looked back at the boy with the same annoyed look he wore when talking to him during class.

"We need to talk," Dipper stated, not leaving any time for arguing. "Now."

"Too bad," Cipher sneered, pulling his arm out of the smaller man's grip. "I have another class to get to." He started to walk away again but Dipper ran in front of him after being sure all the students have left the room.

"Oh, no you don't," Dipper warned, pushing against his chest to stop him from moving. "I know who you are."

Professor Cipher ignored the student and pushed past him. Stern was watching them from the entrance of the classroom, waiting for the teacher to join him. Dipper wasn't going to give up though. He followed the two as they left the classroom.

"You can't just ignore me," he called after the teacher.

"Watch me," Cipher snapped, walking as fast as he could away from the following student.

"You owe me answers," Dipper demanded, almost jogging after the taller men. An amused laugh left the teacher's lips. "Stop walking away!" Dipper ran in front of the two men, glaring daggers at the blond. Cipher stopped in his tracks along with Stern, both staring at the student. The brunette looked at the helper and motioned towards the teacher. "Do you know who this is?"

"Yes," Stern answered quickly.

"Really?" Dipper questioned, stepping closer to them. "So you know he's a dream demon?"

"Yes," he responded quickly. Suddenly Cipher, now confirmed Bill, smacked his helper's arm.

"ANDREW!" he screamed in his face. "What the fuck!"

"HA!" Dipper pointed, suddenly feeling happy about being correct. "I knew it!"

"I was asked a question directly," the helper didn't even flinch when his arm was hit. "No lies allowed. You know the rule."

Bill rolled his eyes and tried to pass the younger cheering man. Before he could get too far though, he was being tugged back again.

"Hell no," Dipper growled, holding a firm grip on his elbow. "We need to talk."

"I have a class right now!" Bill turned and yelled into his face. "Let me go!"

Before Dipper could respond, Stern removed his death grip from Bill's now bruised elbow. Once released Bill was able to walk away from the student again. Dipper looked at the helper, confused.

"Who's side are you on?" he asked, feeling annoyed about letting the demon go.

"Neither," he stated and Bill turned around.

"Stop answering his questions!" he smacked his hands on his own legs, feeling frustrated. "He doesn't need to know!"

"He has the right," Stern responded simply before walking away from Dipper. Bill ignored him and kept walking away. Dipper was breathing hard and ran in front of the blond man again.

"He won't have to answer if you did," he crossed his arms and stared up at the man.

"Don't like me being your teacher? Then drop my class," Bill told him darkly, once again passing him quickly.

Dipper groaned and let Bill finally walk away from him. Rubbing his face in frustrating, he looked around where he was and noticed dozens of students watching the scene from a good distance. Embarrassment ran through Dipper's chest. He doubts anyone actually heard, let alone, understand what they were talking about. Therefore, looking at the scene from the outside within probably looked like a rejection. Especially, considering the new information he learned earlier that day.

Without thinking much, Dipper made his way to the main office of the school. Once he was inside, he saw the same worker he saw the day before. She looked up at the sound of someone coming in and smiled at him, recognizing him from the day prior.

"Welcome back," she greeted. "How may I help you today?"

"Can I switch teachers?" Dipper asked, still breathing a little hard from the argument with Bill.

"What class are you trying to switch?" she asked softly, starting to type on the computer she was seated at.

"Supernatural History Introduction," he answered easily, leaning against the counter that separated him and the receptionist. She stopped typing then look up at her, looking quite shocked.

"We only have the one teacher," she explained slowly. Dipper sighed and placed his head on the counter top. "If your professor is doing something wrong, you are allowed to put in a complaint. Or you can drop the class if you need to."

He straightened up and shook his head. "I like the topic, I just can't be around the teacher," he admitted.

"Really?" she folded her hands under her chin. "Honestly, I've never heard anyone want to get away from him. Professor Cipher has been the most requested teacher for students."

"How?" Dipper snapped a little, searching her face for something.

The girl smiled a little bit, keeping her patience. "He's very polite. Always trying to help. Even with Stern with him, many students, boys and girls, ask to somehow get fit into his music classes."

"He's a demon," he stated. This threw the lady off a bit. She was quiet for a moment then stood up.

"That's a bit harsh," she started. "I'll bring out some of his coworkers so you'll see what I mean." Quietly, she left the room they were in for a few moments. Barely a few minutes later, she came out with two other people following right behind her, one girl and one boy. They all looked at Dipper and lined up on the other side of the desk, in front of him. The guy stepped forward. He was tall with brown hair, wearing just slacks and a white button up. The female just wore a black dress with sleeves, her black hair hanging below her shoulders.

"Did Cipher do something to you?" he asked calmly. Dipper hesitated for a moment.

"N-no," he fiddled with his hands as the other people in the room looked confused, looking at the pink haired girl. Dammit... Dipper has to think of something fast. "He's someone from my past," he lied. "It's a long story."

"Well," the other girl started, "we never heard of someone thinking he was a demon before. If he did something to you here, even if it was all verbal, you're safe to let us know about it."

"I don't get it," Dipper shook his head, staring at the trio in disbelief. "How did he trick you guys into thinking he's nice?"

"Has he never been nice to you?" the male asked, crossing his arms and rubbing his chin. Dipper shrugged.

"I guess," he sighed. "But that was before I remembered who he was."

"How did you not before?" the pink haired girl asked.

"Because of the typo!" he tried.

"But if he's someone from your past," the other girl chimed in. "Wouldn't have you been able to recognize him right away?"

Feeling heat rush to his face, Dipper shook his head. "He looks different than what he looked like before!"

"How long as it been since you guys last saw each other?" the male asked.

"11 years," he responded.

"No wonder," the black haired girl smiled. "If it was a decade ago, what makes you think he's the same? A lot can happen."

"We can't explain specifically explain why he's nice," the pink hair girl added. "But if he's still mean to you, that's unusual for him." The black haired girl suddenly gasped and stared at Dipper with wide eyes.

"Unless…" she trailed off, looking back at the other two. She mouthed something to the two but neither caught what she was trying to say, giving her very confused looks. Giving up and sighed dramatically and looked back to Dipper. "Is he mean to you?"

"If you mean dirty looks and arguing," Dipper grunted, crossing his arms. Weirdly, that only made the girl smile wider.

"He must like you!" she cheered. "You know how kids are mean to their crushes!"

Dipper's jaw dropped a bit. 'Is she serious?' he thought to himself.

"Or it's something with his past relationship with him," the guy butted in, crushing her dreams. She rolled her eyes and pouted.

"Then I'm going back to my theory that he's married," she grumbled. The other two rolled their eyes in unison, ignoring her and giving their attention back to Dipper.

"Are you sure you don't want to put in a complaint or drop the class?" the pink haired girl asked again. Dipper thought for a moment before shaking his head.

"It's fine," he sighed, taking a step towards the exit. "I'll just live with it." 'Someone has to keep an eye on him,' he thought to himself. "Thanks for the help anyways."

Before letting any of the others respond, he excused himself and internally groaned. Suddenly the thought of Mabel came to his mind. Maybe she can help.


	4. Chapter 4

Mabel didn't arrive until the next day, causing Dipper to sit in the attic in anticipation all night. Since he now has confirmation that the demon was his teacher, he was desperate to talk about it with Stan but knew he would be better off waiting for the other two to arrive. It was past 2 AM when he finally was able to fall asleep.

Saturday morning, he woke up suddenly with someone jumping on him and pushing his body off the mattress. Groaning, he sat up and rubbed his head, looking at his morning attacker.

"Dipper!" Mabel's voice rang through his head. She tackled him to the ground in a bear hug before he could fully wake up and respond, leaving him grunting and struggling to hug the other twin back.

"It's too early for this," he mumbled in his scratchy, morning voice. She pulled away with a wide grin on her face.

"It's only 8, sleepyhead," she laughed, pulling him up to stand. "Thank GOD I'm out of that house. Do you know what she tried to do when Grunkle Ford got there?" Annoyance was dripping from her voice at the topic of her previous roommate.

"What did she do?" Dipper asked, rubbing the sleepiness out of his eyes.

"She refused to let Ford in!" she exclaimed, stomping her foot. "She tried saying I'm not allowed to leave because she didn't have money for bills, but I told her that what she gets for only buying fancy things she doesn't need! I told her, all right!"

"Sounds like she was using you," he commented, stretching a bit.

"I think she was," she crossed her arms and grumbled a bit. "Grunkle Ford threatened to call the police for a hostile situation if she didn't let him in. She got scared so she did and was bitching at us the ENTIRE rest of the time we were packing. So annoying!"

Dipper nodded, feeling for his sister. "I'm glad you're here now," he told her, a little more awake. Suddenly, Bill's features popped into his mind, causing him to widen his eyes at his sister. "I need to talk to you and everyone!"

Before Mabel could respond, Dipper was pulling her with him and down the stairs. The brothers were already awake, shuffling around in the kitchen. Once the younger twins were noticed, Ford smiled at the two.

"Good morning you two," he greeted. "Breakfast is about to get started, it's my turn today." Stan yawned loudly, getting everyone's attention as he watched the coffee maker fill the coffee pot.

"Actually, I need to tell you guys about that teacher," Dipper started, sitting down at the table with Mabel.

"Your hot one?" Mabel asked excitedly, raising her eyebrows at him one by one. He quickly shook his head. "So your other one?" she then asked, slightly confused. Dipper sighed but before he could respond, Stan sat across from him.

"Are you serious?" he rolled his eyes, knowing what the younger boy was talking about. "What's the point in the memory gun if he's still alive?"

Confusion flashed over Mabel's face as she looked from her Grunkle back to her brother. "You're not talking about whom I think you're talking about, right? Dip-Dot?"

"Is it him," Dipper stated. "I called him out on it, it IS him."

Ford stopped cooking for a moment and looked back at Dipper. "How serious are you?" he questioned, anxiety slowing raising.

"He wouldn't talk to me so I asked his helper," he started explaining. "I asked if he knew that the professor was a dream demon and he said YES."

"Wait, wait, wait," Mabel babbled. "Which teacher? Your hot one?" Dipper sighed at the remark, suddenly hating that he told his sister his physical attraction to the blond, but nodded reluctantly.

Silence filled the room upon the news, everyone is at a loss on what to do. Ford went back to cooking, trying to distract himself from the bad news. Stan was staring Dipper down, trying to tell himself it was just a sick joke the younger is making.

"Dipper," Stan started, getting the boy's attention. "We aren't that young anymore. It hurt fighting 11 years ago, now I can barely stand longer than a half hour. Please, tell me this is just some sort of sick joke."

"I'm not joking," Dipper said desperately trying to get them to believe him. "Everyone at the college loves him, saying he's the nicest professor in the entire school."

"Why is he here?" Mabel asked nervously. "How long has he been here?"

"I don't know," he responded, looking back at his sister. "We can try to figure it out though. We just need to catch him when he's not working."

"Or you can just leave it," Ford chimed in, not looking back at the two. "If he's free and got into a teacher's body, we can't do anything about that. Just attend his class to keep an eye on him, nothing more. Got it?"

Dipper looked back to Ford and stayed quiet. The room was quiet for a few moments before the dipping in the coffee machine stopped. Mabel sighed and got up to retrieve everyone's coffee.

"Grunkle Ford," she started, filling the cups. "Why don't you let Dipper and I handle this? There has to be a reason he's back. You guys take care of yourselves, we'll be fine."

"Mabel," Stan chimed in. "You guys might be grown up, but that doesn't mean you can take this on by yourselves."

"We will," Dipper confirmed, smiling softly to his sister. "We're the Mystery Twins, we'll figure it out."

After breakfast came and went, the young twins were back in the attic to talk about what happened. Dipper filled Mabel in on the interactions he has had with the male. Their plan consisted of searching the town for that day and Sunday to see if they can find the male just living like a normal human. Stalking seemed a bit much but that's all they could think of for their first steps. They checked all the diners and retail stores but didn't have any use. The only good information they have is from asking the cashiers and other workers if they've seen a man of his description along with the helper that was with him. Turned out, everyone knew whom he was referring to. The helper ended up being someone that follows him around everywhere. Some thought they were in a relationship until someone asked for the helper's number and didn't get a reaction from the blond.

Their last stop was the now giant grocery store. The building had been upgraded after the school was built, allowing good deals for the students that went there. As soon as they got to in front of the store, Dipper looked around at the people entering the store. Near the bike racks, he noticed the tall, black-haired man that always accompanied the blond. Grabbing his sister's arm, he ran inside and hid behind a stack of cans.

"What's going on?" Mabel whispered harshly into her brother's ear. Dipper motioned her to quiet down and pointed at the two men as they entered the store. His sister's eyes widened a bit, staring at Bill as he grabbed a cart. "Is that him?" she looked at Dipper who nodded, staring at the same man. "You're right, he's hot," she stated, watching the men start to walk down one of the aisles.

Slowly, Dipper started to walk to the aisle next to the one Bill was in. Although the store was big, they didn't update the walls the products were sitting on. This made it easier for Dipper to move items around and watch the other male as he shopped. Currently, Bill was standing in front of a wall of can vegetables, reading the back for a few minutes before placing the product back on the shelf. Mabel was silent as they followed him. Once they reached the end of the aisle, they quickly went to the next, in fear of being seen by the other.

Bill did, in fact, go down the same aisle that Dipper and Mabel were just in. He was completely unaware of the twins following his every move, fully focused on reading the nutrition facts on the back of the products. Something caught Dipper's eye, a stray box sticking out from the bottom of the shelves. He furrowed his eyebrows a bit, not remembering the box being there before. While watching the teacher, Dipper silently pointed out the box to Mabel to see if she saw it. She shook her head in confusion, noting that the aisle was clear when they walked down it. Suddenly, there was a crash on the ground. Looking back, the twins noticed Bill on the ground, seems to have tripped over the exposed box. Andrew Stern was close by but didn't provide any reaction as the other fell to the ground. Dipper heard an irritated sigh and watched Bill get back up to his feet and dusting himself off before resuming shopping.

Little things like that happened throughout the store to Bill. It was almost as if he didn't know how to walk with how often he would trip over things or even slip. Dipper and Mabel started feeling bad for the older male, thinking he probably just didn't have good luck at that time. The entire time, Andrew kept his distance from Bill, not offering help nor getting help.

They were heading towards the checkout lines when someone ran into his side with their cart, causing him to let go of his cart to hold his side. Dipper watched as Bill breathed in slowly and look at the other shopper with a calm expression as the other started apologizing. He didn't even look annoyed.

Dipper, on the other hand, felt annoyed himself at this. Bill got annoyed so easily in class, why couldn't he be this calm towards him? Why does this shopper get to get treated better? He got pulled out of his thoughts when Mabel started slapping his arm quickly.

"Ow," Dipper growled at his sister, catching her wrists to stop her from hitting him. "What?"

"Look," she pulled one arm away to point at Bill again.

Just as he looked up, he saw one of the hanging cashier signs dangling from just a few threads. Just underneath was Bill, waiting in line to check out, completely unaware. Not wanting to get his attention, the twins started to tell some of the customer's around them. This was to see if they could react and get Bill's attention to move. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain. Right as the crowd actually started to notice, it fell. Right on top of Bill's head. The blond didn't even get the chance to look up before he was knocked out.

Again, Andrew did nothing.

Without thinking, Dipper ran over to Bill and turned him on his back, propping his head on Dipper's shoulder. Workers were already running around to get help, worried about their unconscious customer.

"Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you?!" Dipper hears Mabel's voice close by. Turning his head, he saw her scolding Andrew for not reacting and still not trying to help.

A groan from Bill caused Dipper to look back in shock, the realization hit him on where he was and whom he was holding. His face is so close to his own shook Dipper to his core, his heart racing a hundred miles a minute. Bill started to squirm a bit but before he actually opened his eyes, a cashier took Bill from his arms and rested his head on a pillow that was on the ground. Dipper could hear his heart beating in his ears as Bill opened his eyes, looking around confused. When they landed on Dipper, he faded out of consciousness again.

Dipper moved away from Bill as more workers came over and heard sirens from outside pulling up. He went to his sister as she was still scolding Andrew. Grabbing her wrists, he glared daggers at the taller man.

"Why are you around if you don't do shit?" he hissed, walking away from him before he could respond. Mabel followed without arguing and they passed paramedics, prepared to take the blond man to the hospital.

They left the grocery store and went into the forest, heading to a small meadow that wasn't too far from the Shack. Dipper didn't realize how much his hands were shaking until he sat down and thought about what just happened. Mabel sat next to her brother, rubbing his back.

"What did he tell you," Dipper asked, breathlessly. "When you were yelling at him?"

"He only said he's there to watch, not intervene," she rolled her eyes thinking about how stone-faced he was talking. "But he wouldn't tell me why."

"I have a bad feeling about him," Dipper admitted slowly. Mabel nodded slowly, agreeing. "I mean, what kind of person just watches that and doesn't react?"

"Someone who's not a friend," Mabel responded.

"But they go everywhere with each other," he argued. "Why would he be friends with such an ass?" His sister shrugged.

"Your guess is as good as mine," she sighed. "You should try to get them to separate. You know, talk to him when he's not around. Maybe he'll tell you why."

"Why would he?" Dipper rolled his eyes. "Why would I even want to be friends with a demon anyway?"

Mabel was quiet for a moment before standing up and paced a little in front of Dipper, deep in thought. Her brother sat up and watched her closely.

"Mabel," he started, cautious. "what are you thinking of?"

"I don't think he's a demon anymore," she said carefully. Dipper started to shake his head and she held her arms out, motion for him to wait. "Hear me out." With a sigh, he nodded. "Think about it. If he was still a demon, wouldn't he have known those items in the store were there before he fell? Dipper, he fell a lot. I don't even think that's a normal amount of time of accidents so I don't think it's just the store. Even if he was clumsy, that's still way too many times. And the sign?" She shook her head. "I'm pretty sure demon instants are stronger than that."

Dipper stayed quiet and looked down, taking in everything that she had said. It did make sense but it seemed almost too much bad luck. "Mabel, what if he did that to come off as normal?"

"His head injury wouldn't have been as dramatic," she responded, voice full of hope. Dipper felt a pit in his stomach and sweat started to bead down his forehead.

"I messed up," he muttered softly, guilt dripping from his voice. "If he's human, then he probably got a concussion from the hit. I let him pass out again." He felt his sister embrace him tightly.

"He'll be okay," she reassured him. "Just stay positive."

After a few moments of holding each other, she let him go and sat next to him.

"You should try to be friends with him," she suggested. "It kind of looks like he needs one."

They stopped by the hospital to see if Bill was checked in. While, yes, he was there, he also wasn't allowed any visitors at that time. Dipper started to wonder if the class would continue, feeling the guilt in his stomach spread. Once back at the shack, they told Stan and Ford the event of the day. While Stan didn't care about the former demon's pain, Ford's reaction was unreadable. They spent Sunday with friends that Mabel wasn't able to see yet. Once Pacifica came over though, Dipper was kicked out of the room.

He decided to take this time to explore the forest like he did when he was younger and tried to find the meadow that he was in for class. It was about a two-hour hike to find the open space from the Shack but that didn't stop the smile from growing on Dipper's face once he found the beautiful area.

Sitting down on the grass in the middle of the meadow, he took a good look around and relaxed. This area reminded him of class, although he was sure he's been here when he was younger. There was a splash from a little ways away from Dipper, causing him to stand to see if someone else was here. He walked to where he remembered the pond being and stopped quickly once he saw a familiar blond placing with one of the strange ducks.

'Wasn't he supposed to be in the hospital?' Dipper thought to himself. Taking a quiet breath in, he took a step forward. Bill looked up from the sound of footsteps and froze when he saw Dipper. He was sitting on his knees in black pants and a black top, looking more casual than he did in class.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, fear laced in his voice. Dipper kneeled down on the other side of the pond, staring at the blond.

"Why are you here?" the brunette asked back. "I thought you were in the hospital." Confusion crossed over Bill's features.

"I was released," he answered, almost automatically. He shook his head quickly. "H-how did you know that?" he started to stand up, suddenly not wanting to visit the ducks anymore. Dipper bit his lip and stood up as well.

"I was at the store when you got hurt happened," Dipper explained honestly. "Your Andrew friend didn't do shit."

"He doesn't need to," Bill barked, defensively. "Now answer my question."

"I don't have one," shrugging, Dipper crossed his arms while looking around. Andrew wasn't there. "But now that I see you, I would like some answers."

"Of course you do," the blond rolled his eyes and started to walk away. Dipper followed him and grabbed Bill's elbow like he did at school.

"Please," he asked, holding Bill's arm close to his chest. "I won't keep bugging you if you just please answer my questions." He watched as the taller male closed his honey eyes and sigh heavily. Bill looked back at Dipper, the anxiety easy to read on his face. "I won't hurt you," he promised.

After a few moments, Bill nodded and turned to Dipper a bit. Releasing his elbow, the brunette started to walk to the middle of the field. The other man followed silently, crossing his arms over his chest protectively. They settled at a large tree so they could both sit comfortably.

"So," Dipper started, "You're back." Bill nodded slowly. "Care to explain how?"

"After I realized I got tricked, I made a chance to a God to come back another place and time and in a new form," Bill confessed. "But because of all the bad things that I have done, each demon can use the chant three times. I don't like to admit this but that was the fourth time I used the chant. I was sent to the God of Life instead of the God I wanted to go to. They reviewed everything I have ever done in my millions of years as an all-powerful demon and decided that I needed to get punished. Obviously, hell isn't going to affect me. So they did the next best thing. I was given one final form; human. It was all because of your family. The last creatures I've tried taking over. Now I'm going to be human forever and die as a human. I'm no longer immortal."

Throughout Bill's explanation, Dipper watched as Bill slumped sadly against the tree. Dipper sighed, hardly feeling sorry about the situation.

"You know," he began. "You have a very negative outlook on human life. If you can get over that, I'm sure you'll have a fine life. If you want people to remember you, leave something behind before you die."

"I'm not done," he objected. "I'm not capable of lying and I have the worst luck with everything. I'm sure you saw that. That was actually not as bad as most things I experience weekly. This forest is the only place I'm safe."

"I never have seen anything bad happen at school," Dipper lightly argued. "So you probably have some more safe zones." Bill shook his head and looked back at the brunette.

"I just don't haven't had bad luck in the class with you yet," he murmured. "I've fallen off the choir stage too many times to count."

Dipper sighed softly before speaking. "Do your students help?" A small smile crept on Bill's mouth at the mention of his students.

"They're the reason I'm still working," he admitted. "Technically, Andrew is the reason I'm doing anything but the students are the reason why I do it willingly."

This intrigued Dipper. "What is Andrew to you?"

"An annoying leech," Bill sneered a bit. "I tried attempting suicide once and they sent him and he won't leave me alone. I'm not allowed to take my own life. I can't tell you how many times I was so close to death with being sick but I still manage to live. If I do anything to try to take my own life, he is required to stop me. Otherwise, he just sits back and watches my misfortune every day."

The new information shocked Dipper a bit. "Where is he?"

"I don't know," he admitted. "Probably nearby, just waiting for me to do something."

Dipper thought about that for a moment before asking, "How long have you been human?"

"They put me here as an 18-year-old," Bill explained, letting his face relax. "So almost 10 years. Technically I would have been 17 when you were 12 if I was originally human." Something crossed over Bill's features that Dipper couldn't read. It was quiet between the two before the blond looked down. "I'm sorry," he uttered.

Weight felt like it was lifted with those words. "I'm assuming you have human emotions now?" Watching the former-demon nod, Dipper reached for Bill's hand and rubbed it comfortingly. "Thank you. But I think you should also apologize to everyone else." Bill's hand started to shake a bit under his hand.

"They're going to kill me," he whispered softly. "I can't see them."

"You see me," Dipper noted, observing the fear coming from the blond. "I'm not going to kill you."

"You wanted to." Dipper was barely able to hear Bill's words but sighed nonetheless. Guilt rumbled in his stomach, thinking back to holding Bill's unconscious body at the store.

"I wouldn't," he admitted. Bill looked at Dipper again but didn't respond. "Can we at least be friends? You could use one considering your 'guardian angel' sucks."

This brought a small amused smile to Bill's lips. "How can you be friends with someone who tried killing you?"

"Time," Dipper commented, shrugging. "Time heals. No matter how much bad shit happens, time can heal."

They started to chat back and forth about where Dipper had been for all this time. There were still some questions he needed answered, but decided that he had asked enough for one day. The conversation continued to shift from topic to topic until the sun started to set. It was surprisingly easy for Dipper to talk with Bill. Although he doesn't like to talk about where he's been since he was human, he knew in time Bill might open up. Dipper stood once the stars were visible and helped Bill up.

"I'm so hungry," Bill muttered to himself, holding his stomach.

"You should go eat something," Dipper suggested. "I have to get back to the Shack before they question where I am."

Bill nodded and started to walk towards the opposite direction Dipper came in. He looked back at the brunette once he was just a few feet away. "See you tomorrow?" he asked, voice warm.

Dipper smiled and nodded. "See you in class."


	5. Chapter 5

The Shack was quiet when Dipper got back. Both of his Grunkles were already asleep, leaving him with Mabel to talk to. The girl was clinging to a pillow, reading her phone when he walked into the room. His sister looked up at him and smirked a bit.

"Where were you?" she asked curiously.

"I went into the forest," Dipper started explaining, grabbing his night clothes to change. "Happened to also run into Bill, too."

Within seconds, Mabel was in front of her brother, her phone abandoned on her bed. "What?" she gasped, looking shocked and confused. "I thought he was in the hospital, he's okay though?"

Dipper nodded and gave her a small smile. "Let me change, I'll explain everything."

The twins ended up staying up past midnight talking about the former-dream demon. Mabel was happy to hear Dipper offering friendship, but was worried about what might have caused him to be so timid. Before going to sleep, they agreed to let their Grunkles know the events in the morning. They were sitting at the table with breakfast in front of themselves when Dipper let them know the events from the last two days.

Once the morning did arrive though, the events didn't go the way the younger twins were expecting. Upon hearing what they had learned, both Ford and Stan didn't seem relieved.

"Dipper," Ford spoke softly. "Just because he's scared, doesn't mean everything he's saying is true."

"Yeah," Stan chimed in, more irritated than Ford. "That one-eyed demon could be lying to you."

"I doubt that," Dipper argued lightly. "If you would have seen what happened at the store-"

"Could have been on purpose," Stan cut him off. "He could have known you were there and did all those things himself!"

"Why would he?" Mabel tried to reason with him. "What would make him want to go through all of that?"

"It could be an act," Ford added, taking his brother's side. Dipper shook his head and crossed his arms across his chest.

"I think I would know if he lied," he stated. "He, himself, said he's not capable of lying."

"Which is what a liar would say!" Stan raised his voice, growing irritated at the conversation. "Listen, kid, if you want to be friends with that demon, fine. But he's not allowed over here, ever. Got it?"

"He wants to apologize," Dipper tried again. "He's completely different than who he was before. Why can't you give him a chance? You can test him all you want."

"Hell no," Stan fired back. "Not allowed. Period."

"We still have the shield up," Ford commented. "If he's still a demon, he wouldn't be allowed in anyway."

"That's how we can tell then!" Mabel suggested. "What if he comes to the gift shop at least so you both can see?"

Stan glared daggers at the two twins. "What part of 'no' do you not understand? That's the end of the conversation." Dipper sighed and slumped back against his seat, picking at his food. Mabel looked at her brother with a sorrowful look on her face, reaching over and gently rubbing his shoulder.

Dipper got to school early, wanting to be out of the Shack for the day. Without thinking about much, he wondered the grounds of the campus towards the music building. A few times now, he's heard Bill's name being referenced to the music department and boredom and curiosity made him unconsciously wonder closer. Taking a small breath in, he pushed the doors that were labeled with music notes. The doors reviled a long hall with doors that just read numbers. As he walked down the hall, he started to hear a light, muffled guitar strumming. Dipper followed the sound and felt a pang of disappointment when the pleasant sound stopped. After a few more moments of silence, the guitar started again. It sounded like the beginning of a song he was not familiar with. This time though, he was able to find the source of the sound. There was a small window that showed a room of students surrounding someone. Unfortunately, there were too many people for him to see what they were staring at. Quietly, he opened the door and slipped into the class.

A few students were snapping as a female's voice started to sing. Getting closer to one of the students sitting and watching with anticipation as the melody of the guitar and voice filled the room. A few students snapping towards the front to go along with the song. Dipper's eyes were able to focus on the two performers, widening his eyes a bit at seeing them. It was Wendy and Bill. He stopped for a moment, causing her to stop as well.

"Remember between you start the bridge to let your voice travel an octave higher," he explained. The red-head nodded and he started strumming again, the same students that were snapping before went back into rhythm. Wendy opened her mouth and began to sing.

 _"3 AM and my neighbors hate me_

 _Music blasting, shaking these walls_

 _This time Mary Jane won't save me_

 _I've been working later, I've been drinking stronger_

 _I've been smoking deeper but the memories won't stop"_

Bill smiled to her and nodded, speaking softly to not interrupt the song too much. "Little higher now."

 _"I can't stop thinking 'bout you_

 _I can't stop thinking 'bout you_

 _I can't get high, I can't get by, I can't get through_

 _I can't stop thinking 'bout you"_

Her voice sent shivers up his spine as her voice faded to a stop. Bill stopped strumming and the class erupted in applause. A smile was instantly on her face, looking around the class before looking back to Bill. Once the class went silent, Bill looked back to the class.

"If you write down how you're feeling," he started to address the class. "Almost anything can be put into a song." He looked back at Wendy and patted her shoulder. "What do you think of her song?" The class began to cheer again but Dipper stayed quiet, not wanting to get caught sneaking into a music class. Bill waved his hand and the class went quiet. "If you need help writing your final song, remember to sign up to get a session like this. Remember the written song is due before Thanksgiving break. Once you guys come back, we'll go to the studio to produce the songs."

A hand went up. A girl with light grey hair waved it a bit, trying to get his attention. Her efforts were successful, causing Bill to look over and called her name.

"Are we allowed to do a duet?" she asked sweetly.

"Only if you do two," he explained. "Every one of you will need to write something, even if it means two duets. If you only do one, it'll only count for half the amount of points. Unless you or someone else is just in the song for just a line or two."

"May you please be in my song?" she asked quickly. The crowd gasped softly, no one really thinking about asking the professor.

Bill placed the guitar on its holder and thought about the question for a moment. "If I did, I'll have to say yes to everyone. I will if it's just a few lines, not half the song."

Excitement sprang through her features, nodding quickly. "It's just for two or three lines."

"That doesn't seem too bad," he nodded a bit. "But you will have to write the whole song like everyone else. You won't be favorited." The girl nodded in understanding and thanked him profusely. Bill allowed the class to go back to their writing. A few students got up and went inside a few private rooms that were built on the side of the class.

Suddenly, Dipper felt someone poke his side. He looked over quickly and saw his sister's old friend Candy staring at him, a big smile on her face.

"Are you in this class?" she asked just below a whisper. Dipper shook his head and tried to sink under the desk. Candy just stared at the boy, more confused than before. "You might want to leave before you get caught then." Before Dipper could respond, she stood up and raised her hand. "Professor Cipher?"

Bill looked up from helping another student with their work and looked towards Candy and Dipper, although he couldn't see Dipper.

"May I use the restroom?" she asked innocently. Bill nodded before going back to the student. Quickly, Candy grabbed Dipper's wrist and shuffled out of the classroom before Bill noticed the intruder.

"Thanks," he said in a huff, rubbing his wrist.

"Anytime," she smiled again to him. "A few students left the class, why don't you ask to join the class before it gets filled?"

"What class is that?" Dipper asked, unsure on how to respond.

"Music theory," the black-haired girl responded. "We learn what goes into songwriting and how to spot symbolism in music videos."

"So Wendy wrote that song?" he asked, referencing to the song earlier. Candy quickly shook her head.

"No," she explained. "Professor Bill did. He said he wrote it last night, at least started to anyways. He asked if we wanted an example on how easy it could be to write with emotions."

Dipper nodded a bit, unsure of how to feel. "She has a beautiful voice."

"She does," Candy agreed. "I should get back to class, these songs don't write themselves. And it takes a lot of bad songs to get one worthy of a final."

"Yeah, I understand," he gave her a small smile. "The same thing goes with writing too, so I get it."

After Candy went back into the class, Dipper made his way over to his first class. Thoughts about the music class were at the front of his mind. He didn't know what he was expecting but whatever it was, it didn't have anything to do with a yearning to hear what Bill's singing voice was like. He kicked himself mentally, regretting not asking if she knew the girl's name that asked Bill to be in her song.

His thoughts were interrupted when he felt his arm getting pinched. Jumping, he yanked his arm away from the attacker and narrowed his eyes. Looking at the pincher, he let himself relax at the site of Pacifica.

"Earth to Moron," she said, mockingly. "You almost ran into people. Many of them. Pay attention."

Dipper blushed in embarrassment, not noticing the other people that had to rush to dodge his movements. "Sorry," he mumbled, rubbing his arm. "I was thinking about Bill."

Pacifica raised an eyebrow. "Again with this? Did you get more proof?"

"Yes, actually," he said confidently. "It is, we talked. He supposedly isn't a demon anymore, just a human. But he's being punished for what he's done with his internal life so he's dying as one as well."

"I see," she responded. "Hopefully it's true then."

"Did you know he could sing?" Dipper asked.

"He's the most requested teacher in the music department," she explains flatly. "Gee, I don't know. Probably not. Probably has the worst voice in the world."

Dipper rolled his eyes but let himself smile over the sarcasm. "I get it, I was just wondering."

The day seemed to slow down to Dipper, causing him to feel more anxious as it got closer to 1:30 PM. As soon as he got to his class, he sat down and stared at the door. It wasn't long before Bill emerged into the classroom with Andrew walking behind him. The blond instantly made eye contact with Dipper and gave the younger boy a smile, setting his stuff down and getting the class started. Dipper stayed quiet as he watched the professor talk. Today's assignment was to write a short story about any of the creatures that they have ran into on the trip. The class got to work and Bill went around from student to student to answer any questions they may have for their stories. Dipper caught himself staring at the blond man, not working on his own paper.

At one point, Bill glanced over to Dipper while with another student. Quickly, the brunette looked down at his blank paper and felt his heart racing in embarrassment. Trying to think of a story, Dipper fumbled with his pencil and ended up dropping it in front of the desk. Face turning a darker shade of red, he quickly got up and grabbed the writing utensil. When he stood back up, Bill was right next to him. Dipper visibly jumped at the sight of the former-demon suddenly being close. Noticing the fear, Bill took a step back to give the other room to breathe.

"You okay?" Bill asked quietly, not wanting to disturb the other working students. Dipper nodded quickly and got back into his seat. Kneeling down, Bill took a look at Dipper's blank paper. Looking back at the other boy, he placed the paper back on the desk. "Writer's block?"

"Y-yeah," Dipper stuttered quickly and quietly. "I can't think of what to write about."

"Why don't you think back to the ducks you were inspecting?" Bill suggested. Dipper shook his head a bit and stared at the blond.

"How can you act so normal?" he asked, ignoring the suggestion. Bill caught on to what he was meaning and shrugged a bit.

"As you said before," he started. "I'm safe here. I can recognize that." Bill smiled a bit and looked back to the paper. "Pull out your notes that you took last Thursday. It'll help you think of something."

Dipper nodded a little and watched the taller man stand and walk to the next student to help. Sighing silently, he took out the notes and began to write down a simple scene. As each student turned in their short stories, Bill allowed them to leave the class for the day. At hearing this news, Dipper took his time on the paper. Something sparked inside of him, making him want to wait to turn his story in. It was about halfway through the class when it was just Dipper and one other student left. Once he was finished with his scene, he glanced back at the other working student. Gawking, Dipper noticed the three stacks of papers they were writing on.

'So much for short,' he thought to himself. He looked ahead of himself again and watched Bill as he read through the stories, red pen in hand for fact-checking. After a few minutes of staring, the professor glanced up and met Dipper's eyes. Bill raised his head all the way then glanced up to the other student that was working. Grumbling softly, Dipper got up and made his way over to the blond. Once he was in front of the other, he handed the paper to Bill who accepted it.

"When is your last class over?" Dipper asked below a whisper, careful not to let the other student hear.

"6 pm," Bill answered automatically, in the same whisper tone Dipper had. "Why?"

"My offer for coffee," the brunette started to speak carefully. "It's still there if you wanted to."

Bill stayed quiet for a few moments and looked down a bit. "It's a little late for coffee, don't you think?"

Dipper's heart jumped a bit. "It doesn't have to be coffee. It can be dinner, I don't mind."

The blond smirked to himself and looked up at the boy again. "So stubborn, Pine Tree."

A blush ran across Dipper's cheeks at the sound of the nickname. "Just as stubborn as you."

This earned him an amused, low chuckle. "Okay, sure then," he agreed, smiling softly at the brunette. "My last class is at the music department. Meet me at the entrance?"

Dipper nodded quickly and had a stupid grin on his face. "See you then."

Once he was out of the class, saw Wendy walking across the campus. Excited, he rushed towards her and nearly tackled her in a hug.

"Woah!" Wendy laughed, hugging Dipper back. "What's up? Why so excited?"

"He said yes!" Dipper said immediately, letting her go and smiling widely at her. "I asked Professor Cipher to dinner and he said yes."

Wendy gasped dramatically. "What?! He never agrees to go on dates!" She cheered and ruffled his hair. "What about your theory? About being the triangle guy?"

"It is him," he explained, letting her know about what had happened during this past weekend. "But I can't just let him be friendless, that Andrew guy is good for nothing." Wendy nodded, listening to everything he was saying.

"As long as he doesn't go psycho on you, I'll support it," she said.

"By the way," Dipper smiled, remembering her singing from that morning. "I love your singing."

"What?" Wendy blushed, eyes widening a bit. "I don't remember singing in front of you."

"I snuck into your class," he explained. "I was curious so I wanted to check it out."

Upon hearing this, Wendy understood what he was referencing. "Just wait until you hear the song I'm writing for the class," she smirked. "You'll love it."

"You'll play it for me?" Dipper asked, suddenly excited.

"Yeah, of course!" she laughed happily and ruffled his hair again. "After we record it though, it'll sound better than just with a guitar or piano."

"That'll be cool," he commented. "I'm excited to hear it!"

"What time are you guys going to dinner?" Wendy asked, checking the time.

"He gets out at 6," Dipper explained, remembering the smirk that was on Bill's face.

"Well, it's about to be 3," she started to explain. "Want a ride home to get ready?"

Dipper furrowed his eyebrows a bit. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"Is this just a hangout?" she asked, suddenly confused. "Or a date?"

"I don't know, honestly," he admitted. "It was a date when I first asked but today, I just told him the offer was still available and he accepted it."

"It's a date," Wendy stated, grabbing his arm and started to drag him to her truck. "No one has ever gotten a yes from him, not even the second hottest professor here. This is major news for the school. If anyone sees you walking out with him, there will be rumors. Gotta make you look good!"

Suddenly, Dipper started to regret asking Bill. If people were that dramatic over him saying yes, he should have asked Bill to meet him elsewhere. Next, this Dipper knew, he was being driven home. Within minutes of being home, Dipper was pushed into the bathroom while Wendy went to fetch Mabel.

This was going to be a long night.


	6. Chapter 6

Within an hour of being back at the Shack, Dipper was dressed and ready to see Bill again. Mabel took out his nice grey button up and black slacks, topped with a bow tie around his neck and nice, black dress shoes. They left his hair alone, liking the shaggy look with the nice attire, making it look more casual. Dipper refused to wear the jack, claiming it'll be more over the top than what he was already wearing. Soon enough, they were back in Wendy's truck, going back to the school. On the way there, Dipper thought about what Ford had told him before leaving.

 _Just before leaving, Ford walked into the attic and asked to speak with the younger male alone. Once alone, his Grunkle handed him a switch knife._

 _"Just in case."_

Dipper took it out of is picked and stared at it. The knife was slick black with small yellow triangles running up the sides. Furrowing his brows a bit, he looked at Wendy as she drove, giving him relationship advice.

"Wendy," he interrupted her. "Can I leave this with you?" He waved the knife to her.

Looking back, her eyes widened a bit and she quickly looked back at the road. "Woah dude," she glanced back for a moment. "Where'd you get that?"

"Ford gave it to me," he explained. "I don't know why I doubt I'll even use it."

"Probably the whole point," she suggested. "Maybe it's like a test?"

"Still," Dipper shook his head, thinking back to how scared Bill looks at just talking about seeing them again. "I don't want him to see it and get the wrong idea. I won't need it."

Wendy nodded quickly. "I totally understand, go ahead and put it in my bag. Text me when you're little date is done and I'll bring it to you, okay?"

"Thank you," he responded, thankful.

They pulled into the parking lot once Dipper was done placing the switch knife safely in Wendy's bag. They said their goodbyes and Dipper glanced at his watch.

5:50 PM

Dipper took his time walking up to the music department. Suddenly he started to notice awkward stares from other students. 'Should have brought a bag still,' he thought, feeling his pockets and feeling his phone and wallet. He silently waited by the entrance to the music department, doing his best to ignore the students that were coming in and out of the building.

It wasn't long before a group of students started to walk out at once. Dipper straightened and smiled awkwardly to anyone that looked his way. Once the crowd was gone, he watched as the blond man emerged with the no-so-useful-helper. Upon seeing Dipper, Bill offered a small smile and walked to him.

"You're here," he almost sounded surprised to Dipper.

"Of course I am," Dipper smiled brightly to the other. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"I-I just," he stuttered, waving his hand dismissively. "I don't know, I didn't know how serious you were." Bill looking down at Dipper's clothes and the brunette noticed a light pink tint the taller male's cheeks. "You look nice," he complimented, starting to feel self-conscious at his own clothing choices for the day. Bill was wearing a red and black flannel over a plain black shirt with the same black pants as always. "I kind of feel underdressed," he joked lightly.

Dipper held his hands up a bit and shook his head quickly while laughing softly, "Don't worry, I feel overdressed."

"Where are we going?" Bill stepped a little closer to the other, holding his hands in front of himself nervously.

"Have you been to Greasy's Diner?" Dipper asked, turning to start walking towards the exit of the school. Without asking, the former-demon followed immediately, walking kind of close to the shorter male.

"Yeah," he responded. "But not since they got new management." Dipper pouted a bit, confused.

"I didn't know they got a new one," he commented.

"Have you not gone since being back?" the blond man asked, looking at the other while he spoke.

"M-my mind was kind of occupied," Dipper shrugged sheepishly, not really wanting to admit he spent his weekends talking about the teacher to his twin.

Bill hummed softly before adding, "I guess it'll be our first time going with the new management."

"Why did Lady Susan sell the restaurant?" he asked, curiously. They got to the parking lot and Bill started walking towards his cruiser that was locked up.

"She just wanted help," he explained. "The school brought more people and some couple offered to buy the business to upgrade it for the incoming crowd."

"I see," Dipper sighed. "I was looking forward to seeing her again."

"You still will," Bill noted, unlocking his bike. "She still works there as a waitress. She runs a good quart of the restaurant floor so she's still there."

Relief passed through Dipper as he watched the other mess with the lock. "I'm assuming you don't drive?" Bill shook his head and looked back at the brunette.

"Been in too many accidents," he explained softly. "The hospital bills became too much work to handle. Plus, now if I get hit, I'm only out of a few hundred. Not a few thousand."

Worry washed over Dipper's expressions. "You get hit by cars?"

"Oh yeah," the blond said, almost casually. "Weekly."

A pit in Dipper's stomach began to grow. Bill put the bike lock away in his bag before looking back to the helper, who was following silently and already had his bike unlocked.

"You okay with going to the diner?" there was a hint of annoyance that was in Bill's voice as he spoke, obviously not wanting to invite the unwanted guest. Surprisingly, the helper shook his head and took Bill's bag off of his shoulder, placing it on his own.

"You won't do anything if he's around," he explained dully. "I'll be at the apartment." With that, Dipper and Bill watched the helper. Confused, Dipper looked back at the other who looked shocked and bewildered.

"Has that ever-?" the brunette started to ask but was interrupted by the blond.

"Nope," he held the same shock look on his face as he looked at Dipper. "He has never done that. Not since he showed up."

"Guess we should take advantage of it," Dipper happily smiled. Bill returned the smile and started to walk down the street with the other.

The Diner wasn't too far from the school and along the way, the two enjoyed talking about the town with how it changed with the school being built. Turned out, Bill didn't come back to this town until he heard the school was being built, five years ago.

"Where you before?" Dipper asked, seeing the diner in his sight.

"Portland," he stated. "Sad city, too big, too many people, and it slowly got dangerous."

"How did you make money?" Dipper asked softly, unsure how to word the question.

"I got a job," Bill stated bluntly, smirking a bit. "What did you think I did? Sell myself?"

The brunette let out a snicker and shook his head. "I figured not but still had to ask."

Bill rolled his eyes but let an amused chuckle leave his throat. "I still have a lot of knowledge. Although I can't just pull up any answer from thin air anymore, I was able to get my GED within a month. After that was just looking for a job."

"Where did you live?" Dipper asked, stopping at the red hand and looked back at the blond.

"I was in a homeless shelter," Bill responded honestly. "They helped me get a job and get into my first apartment. I went to college out there too before coming back here. Also, I've had Andrew by my side for 8 years now so I was having to make enough for two people to live." Bill suddenly locked his jaw and stopped himself from continuing. Dipper noticed this and tilted his head a bit. Ignoring his concerned look, the blond started to walk past the other once the white walking symbol popped up.

Just as Dipper turned around to follow, he noticed a speeding Mustang driving down the lane. Quickly, Dipper grabbed Bill's bruised elbow and yanked him back as hard as the brunette possibly could. Due to the bruise, the blond hissed a bit, landing on Dipper's chest, and he gasped sharply as the Mustang crossed right in front of him, ripping his bike from his hands. They watched the bike get dragged for a moment before it skidded off on the road. The now broken bike lied in the middle of the road. Bill looked back at Dipper and let out a shaky breath.

"H-how did y-you.." Bill began to ask but his voice was shaking like crazy. Dipper wrapped his arms around the other's shaking figure protectively.

"It's okay," the brunette rubbed the blond man's back slowly. "You're okay." Bill closed his eyes and rested his head on top of Dipper's shoulder, allowing the smaller male to comfort him.

After a few moments, Bill straightened up and closed his eyes, hand still shaking nervously. Dipper watched Bill as he looked towards the diner, noticing his eyes had watered a bit.

"Did you still want to go?" Dipper rubbed Bill's arm to give more comfort. "If okay if you don't."

"No," Bill looked back at the other with slightly widened eyes. "I-I'm sorry, we can still go."

"Promise me you're not pushing yourself?" the brunette asked, squeezing the other's arm. Bill nodded and looked back at the light that was not red once again. Dipper took a step forward and took the former demon's hand in his own. "Did you want to get your bike?"

"No," he muttered under his breath, squeezing Dipper's hand.

Once the light showed the walking symbol again, Dipper looked both ways before stepping into the road, pulling the taller male with him. They made it into the diner without any more issues, much to both of their relief. The restaurant seemed very close to how it was before, without all of the holes that allowed animals to sneak in. They were greeted by Lazy Susan herself with a wide grin on her face.

"Dipper!" she greeted, pulling him into a hug. Letting go of his hand, Bill stood back feeling a little awkward as the older woman started to chit chat with the brunette a bit. She looked over to Bill after a few moments then back to Dipper, raising her eyebrows. "That's new! Swinging the other side now, are you?" she smiled sweetly to the two. Dipper looked towards Bill and blushed brightly, shaking his head and held his hands up in defense. Before he could argue, she was already walking away from them to take them to their seats. "No need to lie! I know when I see a couple!" Bill blushed at that comment and looked back at Dipper who was rubbing his face.

"She won't believe us any other way," he muttered before following her, without looking back to the other. The blond followed silently, unsure how to describe what he's feeling.

When they were seated, Lazy Susan gave them a couple of menus. Once alone, Bill opened the menu to look at the options.

"Hey," Dipper called over to the other. Looking up, the professor stared at him quietly. "Are you sure you're okay?"

Bill stayed quiet for a few moments before taking a slow breath in. "No matter how much it happens, I'll never get used to it," he said honestly. Looking down, he softly added, "I can't let me guard down again." It sounded like he was speaking more to himself than to Dipper, but the brunette couldn't help but feel a little bad for his professor.

To have to go through every day dodging accidents and possible deadly situations wasn't something anyone would want to live with. 'This is his punishment,' Dipper thought sadly, feeling a strange need to protect the other.

"Thank you," Bill spoke softly, looking back up to Dipper with appreciation in his eyes. "You might have saved my life back there."

"What are friends for?" Dipper smiled sweetly to the other. "Seriously though, every week?"

Bill nodded and looked back to his menu. "I can't escape it." The brunette was quiet for a few moments before leaning forward.

"What are you going to do for a ride?" he asked softly. The former-demon shrugged, turning the page.

"I can walk," he suggested. "Just means I'll have to wake up sooner."

"What about tonight?" Worry dripped from Dipper's voice. "I'll ask Wendy to take you home, I'm sure she won't mind."

"I don't want either of you guys getting hurt because of me," Bill looked up at Dipper and shook his head. "I'll be fine, please don't feel bad for me."

Sighing, Dipper shook his head. "You can get yourself to and from the school all you want," he started, leaning over the table and closer to Bill. "But as of right now, I want you safe. Please let me take you home after."

Bill stared at Dipper, searching his face any sign of him not truly meaning his words. Without finding one, the blond bowed his head to the brunette slightly. "I'm already in your debt-" he tried to protest.

"Then listen to me," Dipper simply stated. "Let me make sure you get home safe, please? For me?"

Hearing those words, the professor gave in. "Just this once," he looked up at Dipper for any arguments. The brunette was now seated back comfortable in his spot as he wore an amused smile.

"It'll be for however long I want to," he demanded. "No arguing."

"Stubborn Pine Tree," Bill commented, allowing a smile grow on his face at the other.

"Probably more than you think," Dipper smiled sweetly.

As the dinner went on, there was a lull in the conversation, allowing any topic to get brought up. They spoke about television shows Bill watched as a human along with Dipper explaining why he was into a terrible show. They had playful debated over what shows were worth watching and which were boring.

Lady Susan took their empty plates when Dipper took out his wallet. Quickly, Bill took out his own and waved for Dipper to stop.

"I'm the one working," he commented. Dipper huffed up a bit but allowed the blond to pay for their meal.

"So I heard you had a few opened seats in your morning Music Theory class," Dipper spoke consciously, not knowing how the other would respond. Bill looked at Dipper confused for a moment before answering.

"Where'd you hear that?" he asked, taking a few sips of his drink that wasn't completely finished just yet.

"I, uh," Dipper didn't think of an excuse to how he knew. He scratched the back of his head sheepishly as he explained his actions that morning. Upon hearing that he listened to the song Bill started writing the night before, the blond covered his face as it turned a light shade of pink.

"I knew something was different in class today," he mumbled. "Candy never asks to use the restroom."

Dipper laughed at this. "I love how that was your sign," he snickered, causing an amused smile to grow on Bill's face as well.

"To answer your question," Bill continued smiling at the other, placing his arms on the table. "Yes, a few students ended up dropping the class because of personal scheduling issues. Why? Are you interested in learning to dissect and write songs?"

"I don't know about singing," he shrugged, his eyes glistening while he stared at the blond. "But I can write. Mabel is the singer, not me."

"Well," he thought for a moment before speaking again. "You can ask her to sign up for the school, I can reserve a spot for her. You can probably take a seat too, I could probably get away with having two students for the price of one."

Dipper raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Really? That easy?"

Bill nodded and took another sip of his drink. "Why do you want to join though?"

Hesitantly, the brunette debated to himself if he should be honest with his reasoning or not. Chewing on his bottom lip, he decided to attempt the honest route.

"I want to hear you sing," he admitted. This caused the professor to be speechless at the response. Dipper looked down at Bill's hands that were resting on the table in front of him before looking back to him. "You mentioned that you fall off the choir stage a lot. I don't know, maybe me being in the class can let you be a little more relaxed. I'll help you as much as I can, maybe even catch you before it happens."

Something crossed over Bill's eyes and he leaned back into his seat, pulling his arms to his lap. "I appreciate your honesty, but I'm not a damsel in distress," his voice was soft but firm. Dipper nodded slowly and tried again.

"Would it be bad to want to see you more?" The words slipped out before Dipper could stop them. Bill's cheeks turned a light pink color again, looking away from the brunette's eyes before getting stuck into them.

"I don't see why," he muttered, more to himself than to Dipper.

"Are you kidding?" Dipper almost laughed. "Have you been here this whole time?" Bill looked up at the other, confusion and embarrassment written on his face. The brunette shook his head before continuing, "Never mind. Do you not want me in your class?"

"I didn't say that," he quickly argued.

"Then why not?" Dipper asked, not letting the other continue speaking. Bill thought about it for a few moments, jaw trembling a bit. Shaking his head a bit, he sighed.

"You'll have to go to the office," he started. "I'll reserve the seats."

A smile grew on Dipper's face. "Do you want to see me more?" Bill looked away, looking around a little frantically. This intrigued the younger male, causing him to lean into the table again. "Well?"

"When did I say that?" Bill tried to debate but his bright cheeks were more than enough to convince Dipper.

"You know," he leaned back, chuckling a bit. "You really are a bad liar." Without looking back to see the older male's reaction, Dipper pulled his phone out to message Wendy.

Bill didn't respond, instead, he stared down into his own lap with a flustered look on his face. After a few moments of silence, Dipper stood up and the professor followed him outside of the restaurant. While waiting for Wendy, the brunette relaxed against the wall. Bill mirrored his actions and looked over to the other.

"So," his voice was just above a whisper. "Was this a date?"

"Do you want it to be?" Dipper asked, looking back to the blond man. He watched as Bill struggled to speak, looking away and to the ground.

"You're the one that asked me," he started softly. "What expectations did you have?"

Dipper took this moment to push off the wall and stand in front of the taller male. "I just wanted to get to know my professor. Knowing who you are now though, I still am interested in learning about you," his voice was warm and filled with care, offering a genuine smile. Bill looked at the other while he spoke and visibly relaxed when Dipper smiled at him.

Before Bill could respond, they both heard a honking coming from Wendy's truck as she entered the parking lot. Quickly, they both settled inside with Bill sitting in the back. They had a light conversation on the way to Bill's apartment, although he was more so trying to keep himself calm with every turn the Wendy made. At one point, Dipper reached his hand to Bill, who took it immediately and held onto the other. Almost immediately, Bill started calming down and leaned his head against the hand, not thinking either of his students could actually see him. Once at his apartment, Dipper helped him out of the truck and rubbed his arm to give the other comfort.

"See?" he smiled sweetly. "Wendy's safe." Bill smiled back a bit before saying his thanks and goodbyes to the red-head. Before he could get too far, he turned around quickly to see Dipper watching him going to his apartment safely.

"See you tomorrow?" There was hope in his voice, not wanting to let his new friend ago.

"Of course," Dipper chuckled and waved. He stayed outside of the truck until he watched Bill's figure disappear behind his door.


	7. Chapter 7

It wasn't too hard for Dipper to talk Mabel into taking the morning music theory class, suddenly excited to start school again. Although it was just one class, it gave her more time to spend with her "new crush," whom she refused to tell her brother who it was. They were careful not to bring up the night before to their Grunkles at breakfast but did let them know about Mabel enrollment to the school. This class was only from 8:30 AM until 9:30 AM, leaving Dipper time for his other classes along with letting Mabel pick between going home to the Shack, or hanging out around with Pacifica. While Ford seemed uneasy at not hearing how the night before went, he kept his questions to himself.

It was roughly around 8:15 AM when they got into the main office, allowing Mabel to get her schedule. After the pink-haired girl handed the paper over, she smiled sweetly to Dipper.

"I'm assuming you and Professor Cipher got past your differences?" she asked, remembering him from the week before. Dipper felt a bit awkward but nodded anyway.

"We talked it out," he quickly explained, not wanting to get into the details. The girl nodded and leaned back in her chair.

"Just remember if you need to report anything," she started but Dipper immediately held his hands up in defense, shaking his head.

"Don't worry about it," he tried to wave the conversation off. The girl shrugged a bit and went back to work, allowing the twins to leave the room.

Once they were out of the office, Mabel looked at her brother with an eyebrow raised.

"Did I miss something?" she asked suspiciously.

Shaking his head, Dipper sighed. "I freaked out, he said if I didn't like him being my teacher to leave the class."

"So you tried?" she crossed her arms over her chest. "What happened to 'keep an eye on him?'"

"I didn't think about that just yet," he explained, glancing around the campus a bit.

Mabel sighed a bit but dropped the conversation. They got to the music building rather quickly, following the crowd of students shuffling inside. Candy emerged from the crowd and ran up to Mabel, almost tackling her to the ground in a hug.

"Mabel!" she cheered. Mabel smiled widely and returned the hug.

"Candy!" she greeted back. "Oh my goodness!"

Dipper ignored the two as they started to catch up, eyes darting back and forth in the crowd. Of course, it was a little obvious whom he was searching for. Without thinking, he pushed his way through the crowd and was one of the first students to enter the class. In the middle of the room was Bill. Dipper took a mental note of what the male was wearing; an oversized grey sweater with his suspenders and black slacks. It didn't take long before Dipper noticed he was admiring the way the former-demon dressed. The desks in the class surrounded him in a half circle, leaving the private rooms to fill the rest of the room behind him. Of course, Andrew was sitting in a desk close to the private rooms, just watching.

A smile grew on his face as he approached the professor, watching as other students speak with him with enthusiasm ringing in their voices. One by one, they left and returned to their seats. Bill noticed Dipper when he was speaking with the last student and smiled sweetly to him. While they spoke, he felt a hand on his back-pat him. Turning around, he saw Wendy smirking at him.

"Just couldn't stay away from him, huh?" she joked, ruffling his hair. Dipper chuckled and stuck his tongue out playfully.

"He offered to reserve Mabel and me seats," he explained. "So I took the offer."

"Hm," she rubbed her chin suspiciously. "Maybe he can't get enough of you?" Raising one eyebrow at him, she laughed playfully at Dipper's reddened face.

After that student started to walk away, Dipper turned Bill who started to scan the crowd of students. Wendy made her way back to her seat and waved at Mabel when she walked down between the seats.

"Shooting Star?" he called out softly. "Would you please join us up here?" Dipper turned around to see Mabel walking towards them with a goofy smile on her face. She wore a rainbow sweater with her brand logo on the front and black leggings used as pants for her. Truly, she looked like a fashion icon compared to him; he was only wearing a black and white flannel with a black shirt exposed and dark blue jeans. Once she was next to Dipper, Bill moved next to them and touched the boy's shoulder as he spoke to the class. "Today, we will be welcoming two more students to the class. Will you please introduce yourselves?"

"Hi!" Mabel waved happily to the class. "I'm Mabel! And this is my little brother, Dipper!"

"Only by 5 minutes," Dipper argued and pouted. Bill kept his smile on his face while watching the two.

"You may sit at an open seat," Bill told them, letting Dipper's shoulder go.

Once to their seat, the class began. The way Bill held himself with this class was different than how he taught the writing class. He talked about break up songs, family songs, love songs, and how to sing a sad song in a happy way. At this moment, he has a random male student on the mini stage with him, guitar in hand. Bill instructed him to do a cover of a sad song but changed the tones to make it sound happy. Everything that the professor was saying intrigued Dipper, there was a light that sparked off of him as he played the guitar.

The second part of the class was focusing on writing for their final. Multiple students have dispersed while Bill walked to Mabel and Dipper, standing in front of them and kneeled down a bit.

"This is crazy," Mabel giggled, staring at the blond man. Bill looked at her and gave her a sweet smile.

"What is?" he asked, knowing what the answer was already.

"You," she leaned back and crossed her arms. "You're human, it's so crazy. It's been 11 years, I can't believe you're still around."

"If you call it that," he chuckled and shrugged a bit. "I'm here to help you guys with your final. You're late to join but you should still have enough time to finish in time. It's due before Thanksgiving break, that gives you about a month to write something."

Dipper stayed quiet as Bill spoke, not wanting to miss anything. The professor looked between him and Mabel, trying to make sure both were paying attention.

"What kind of song did you both want to work on?" Bill asked, looking back to Dipper.

"Love, duh!" Mabel spat out immediately, giggling at Dipper's reddened face. "I want to use this time to sing my crush something cute! Maybe they'll like me after!"

Dipper rolled his eyes as his sister spoke, knowing exactly who she was talking about. "Mabel, you know I have a bad experience with love," he started to explain, looking at his sister. "You can just ask them, you know."

Mabel shook her head and looked at her brother. "I doubt it's hard."

"It's really not," Bill chimed in. Dipper looked at the teacher and leaned back in his seat a bit. "You know the feeling you get when you're about to do something that'll either embarrass you or impress someone you like?" The brunette chewed on his bottom lip, staring at Bill as he thought about the night before. Getting dress was kind of nerve-racking, but that was more because Mabel and Wendy wanted him to make a good impression. Was he just nervous about disappointing them? Or _him_? Reluctantly, Dipper nodded. "Write those feelings down," he smiled. "Write down anything, really. Even if it's something you want to do in the future or just fantasy." He backed away from the twins, leaving Dipper drowning in his thoughts. "I'm going to help the others for a bit but I'll be back before class is over to check in on you guys. Good luck!" Bill turned and walked away, going to a few other students that were working together for their personal songs.

Dipper watched Bill as he started to help the other students, ignoring his sister calling him to pay attention. Growing impatient, she flicked his forehead as hard as she could. Whining, the brunette boy looked back at her and glared daggers her way.

"What was that for?" he grunted.

"You're the one drooling over our professor," Mabel stuck her tongue out and giggled. Dipper's cheeks heated up and he narrowed his eyes.

"I am not," he protested. His sister rolled her eyes and started to write a few things down.

"I want this to somehow get into the song," she explained, moving the paper in front of Dipper.

 _'We work so well and we don't even know why'_

A small smile grew on Dipper's face, almost immediately thinking of the night before. He crossed his arms and looked at his sister suspiciously.

"What do you want the song to be able with this?"

"Well," she hesitated and took her phone out. "She told me she doesn't understand how we can get along and be so good for each other, but be so opposite."

"Hm," Dipper thought for a moment before starting to write down on his own paper.

Soon enough, they had their first verse complete, using the line that Mabel wrote in the chorus. After getting the words down, they awkwardly sang to themselves, trying to get a good rhythm down. They ended up changing some of the words, trying to get a good rhythm. They got the rhythm good for the verse but was still at the awkward part of their chorus.

By the time Bill came back, he had his guitar with him. This time, he sat right behind the twins, who turned to see him better. They showed him the paper and he read through it, letting a smile start to grow on his face.

"Sing it to me," he requested, handing Mabel the paper. Mabel felt nervous for a moment but started to sing the song in the rhythm they came up with. Bill listened while looking down, nodding very subtly. Once she was done, he moved his hands on the guitar and strummed a few times until he settled on one. "Again," he almost demanded, starting to play a few new notes before pausing for her to begin. Mabel looked at the lyrics on the paper and began to sing.

 _"You like New York City in the daytime_

 _I like New York City in the night time_

 _You say you like sleeping with the air off_

 _I don't, I need it on_

Dipper watched the two and couldn't help but feel a little envious.

 _You like the light coming through the windows_

 _I sleep late, so I just keep 'em all closed_

 _You ignore the music on the radio_

 _I don't, I sing-a-long"_

Mabel covered her mouth when she was done singing, giggling like a mad man. Bill watched her and allowed himself to chuck at the site before looking back at Dipper.

"I like your writing," he complimented and looked back at his sister. "You both make a good team."

"Thank you!" Mabel leaned forward, giving Bill a surprise hug. The professor froze up at her sudden movements. Once she released the surprised male, she started writing on her paper again, ignoring the other two.

Dipper smiled while watching her, liking how happy she was. Lost in thought, he almost didn't feel Bill tug on his sleeve. Looking back to the taller male, he noticed the other had a concerned look on his face.

"You're awfully quiet today," he commented. "Are you okay?"

"Don't worry," the younger was taken aback for a moment. "I'm just thinking too much."

While he didn't seem convinced, he nodded and rubbed his shoulder. "If you need to talk, I'm here."

Once he was gone, Mabel looked at him with an eyebrow raised.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked, also keeping note when Dipper has fallen quiet that day. Unfortunately, he tried ignoring the question, trying to get the paper from his sister to see what more she has written down. Pulling the paper as far away from his as possible, she shook her finger at him. "No, no, no," she sputtered. "Are you really not going to tell me?"

Dipper fell back into his seat defeated; he hated it when she used that line. Rubbing his face a bit, he muttered to her quietly.

"Ford," he mumbled. Confusion flashed over Mabel's face. "He gave me a switchblade last night."

"Did you use it?" she asked dumbly. Dipper scoffed and shot her a glare.

"Why would I?" he sneered. Mabel held her hand up in defense.

"Woah," she eyed him weirdly. "It was just a question."

"I know," Dipper sighed, letting go of the anger. "I'm sorry. I just don't know why he gave it to me."

"He didn't mention anything about a knife last night," she started, "but he did mention being worried about your location and if Bill was the only demon in this town."

"He's not a-" he began to argue, but was cut off by Mabel raising her hand towards him a bit.

"I told you that," she pointed out. "You know what I meant."

Dipper shook his head and looked around the classroom, his eye landing on the blond playing the guitar for another student. "If anything, he needs it more than me," he admitted then looked back at his sister. "He almost got hit by a car."

Mabel widened her eyes and glanced to where the professor was located. "And he still came into work the next day?" she questioned.

"It's not just that either," he shook his head. "I'm pretty sure he walked here from his apartment. You know he lives on the other side of town from this place. It's not too far from the Shack but even then, it's like a 10 or 15-minute drive over here. His bike was destroyed and I doubt that 'helper' helped him at all." Dipper let out his rant, speaking suddenly without thinking much. It surprised him how much he was bugged by having to watch Bill go through his punishment. "I know he kind of deserves this but… He said he gets hit weekly…"

Mabel sighed softly and rubbed her brother's back. "I guess it's time to save for a car?" Dipper shook his head.

"He won't drive," he spoke in a weak tone. "Too many accidents."

Worry started to set in Mabel's chest.

"Then walk him home."

Dipper's now second class went by rather quickly. He sat alone due to his sister sneaking inside to hang out with Pacifica. They were sitting in the back, careful not to get caught by the professor. Once class was over, Dipper found himself heading back to the music building. He snuck into Bill's class again as other students were finishing up what they were working on for the day. Bill was still going around to help students as he had done in his own class. It wasn't long before that class was dismissed. Dipper stayed seated as the other students left the classroom. When the only Bill, Andrew, and himself were the last ones in the class, the brunette noticed Bill pulling out a lunch pail from his bag. Dipper took this time to walk up to the teacher who was consumed in eating his sandwich and typing away at his computer. Sensing a presence, Bill looked up and gave Dipper a very confused look. He stood up but Dipper got in front of him before he could fully stand.

"Is something wrong?" he immediately questioned.

"How did you get to school this morning?" Dipper asked, looking up at the confused professor.

"Walked?" he shrugged a bit, feeling more confused. "I told you I would, it's not news."

"What would it take for you to let me find you a ride home?" the brunette asked softly.

"Memory eraser," Bill joked. "I'm fine, please don't worry about it."

"I don't want to just forget it though," he admitted. "I don't want you to get hit, that's ridiculous. How long are you going to have to deal with this?"

"Until he's dead," Andrew chimed in from his spot. Dipper glanced over to him, feeling a raging bubble start growing in his chest. Bill blew him off by shaking his head.

"Until the God decided I've had enough," he started to explain quietly, looking away from Dipper's eyes. "Once he's decided, yes I will be gone."

"Bill," Dipper stepped closer, wanting to give comfort to the former-demon.

"Please," Bill held his hands up a bit and took a half step back. "Don't feel pity. I'm not a damsel in distress. You don't know everything that I have done. I'm just wanting to enjoy whatever time I have left."

"Let me walk you home," Dipper spoke as if the statement was more of a question, but still not wanting to give room for arguing. Of course, Bill shook his head and looked at Dipper almost desperately.

"Thank you for caring," he spoke quietly. "But I can't risk you getting hit too. I'll never forgive myself for that."

"Then I'll be your stalker," Dipper turned around and walked out, ignoring Bill's protests as he exited the room.

Dipper's now third class went by rather quickly. Although Bill was trying to avoid making eye contact with Dipper, the brunette was still determined to walk the professor home. He couldn't just all this precious man get hit again.

'Wait,' Dipper stopped in the middle of his thoughts and stared at the paper he was mindlessly scribbling on. 'Did I just think he was…. _Precious?'_ Anxiety was building up in Dipper's chest at the realization that, yes, his brain called this man _precious._ 'Oh man,' he thought to himself. 'Ford would kill me.'

As soon as class was over, the younger boy took his sweet ass time getting his things together. Once the classroom was almost empty, Bill had started to head for the door but was stopped by a pull on his abused elbow. The blond narrowed his eyes a bit from the pain and sent a glare Dipper's way.

"What?" he asked through his teeth, trying to wiggle his elbow free.

"I'll see you at 6," Dipper stated, letting his elbow go. Bill rubbed his pained elbow and stared at the younger man.

"I'm not a princess," he said flatly. "I don't need to be walked home."

"You think that'll stop me?" Dipper crossed his arms stubbornly.

"What are you going to do, _Pine Tree?_ " Bill questioned, voice dripping in annoyance. "Walk me home _every single day?_ I can't escape it, why avoid it?"

"What if you die?" Dipper snapped. "Do you know how many people would be sad?" Bill stayed quiet for a moment, the irritation slowly dropping from his face. "I don't care what it takes, I'm walking you home. If I have to every day, I'll do it."

"You're so stubborn," Bill stated before turning around and walking away from him. His voice didn't sound upset but it did tremble with something Dipper could point out.

Once 6 PM rolled around, Dipper was waiting outside of the music department for the former-demon. Students started to file out of the classroom but the professor didn't come out. Confused, Dipper went into the building and started to walk towards his classroom. Bill suddenly walked out of his classroom with Andrew following right behind. While Andrew ignored his existence, the professor slowed his pace and stared at the younger male as he approached him.

"You really don't-" Bill started to protest again but Dipper cut him off quickly.

"No arguing," he stated, moving to walk by his side.

Silently, they walked off campus. Andrew did bring his bike, which was still in perfect condition unlike Bill's, and left the two to walk alone. Dipper started to feel nervous after they weren't speaking for a few minutes. Glancing over to the taller male, he could see that he wasn't the only one feeling awkward.

"So," Dipper tried to start up a conversation. "Do you have any pets?"

"Had two," Bill answered, not looking over to the younger male. "Both died within a month under my care."

Dipper pouted a bit. "What kind of pets were they?"

"One was a fish, the other was a hamster," he explained. "I don't know what I did but after the hamster, I figured I wasn't meant to be a pet owner."

"Well, you probably just aren't that kind of pet keeper," Dipper tried to reason with him. "Maybe a cat? They're pretty independent."

"Maybe," he shrugged. Looking over to Dipper slowly, he smiled a little. "Maybe you can help me?"

"Of course!" The brunette cheered, now smiling brightly to the blond.

They transition into an easy conversation, trying to keep the topics light. They weren't too far from the Shack when something popped into his mind.

"Have you seen Ford or Stan since being back?" he asked curiously. Bill nodded but stared at the ground.

"They didn't recognize me, obviously," he shrugged. "But of course my fate leads me to run into them at times."

"Where do you see them?" Dipper asked.

"Usually the grocery store," Bill explained, suddenly chuckling a little. "The first time Stan saw me, he told me to stop by the Shack." He shook his head at the memory. "If only he knew, I'd probably be dead."

Upon hearing the last comment, Dipper fell quiet, remembering the switchblade from the night before. After he got it back from Wendy the night before, he stored it in his school bag via Ford's request.

"Have you been mugged before?" the brunette asked carefully.

"A few times," Bill admitted, letting the smile drop from his face. "But that was back in Portland. Nothing that seriously happens here."

"Did the police help?" he asked, starting to feel a bit worried. Bill shook his head.

"I usually had to fight them off of me," he responded. "I got one beaten so bad, _he_ actually pressed charges _against me_ for assault." Dipper furrowed his eyebrows and felt the same rage bubble from earlier start to build again. Bill looked back at Dipper with a serious look. "And _won_."

"What the actual fuck?" Dipper growled. "They took the side of the person who started it?"

"Yup," he shrugged. "Because I could have stopped once I got the gun from him. I beat him with the butt of the gun once I got it away, therefore, it turned into an assault. It would have been assault with a deadly weapon until I was able to prove that I never bought a gun."

"That's ridiculous," the brunette shook his head in disbelief.

"That's my fate," Bill shrugged, looking back to the ground.

Dipper was the only one of the two paying attention to where they were going, trying to prevent any accidents if possible. Unfortunately, they weren't paying much attention to what was behind them. They were across the street from the apartment complex, waiting for it to be safe to walk when someone jumped and tackled Dipper to the ground. With a grunt, the smaller male struggled and kicked his attacker. Surprisingly, he successfully hit the attacker in his groin. This caused the strange man to cry out and let the brunette go. Once he was released, he saw the other person holding a knife to Bill's throat, demanding for his phone and money. Quickly, Dipper got out the switchblade from his bad and ran up behind Bill's attacker. Opening the knife, he pressed the blade to his throat.

"Take one more step to him," Dipper hissed in the other's ear. "I'll slit your fucking throat."

The attacker froze at his touch and dropped the knife he had to the blond. Dipper pushed him towards the road and grabbed Bill's hand. Without thinking, Dipper began wrapped his arm around the blond man's waist and started to book it across the street. Surprisingly, every single car stopped right before hitting the duo. They got to the other side but didn't stop running until they got to Bill's apartment.

Bill was out of breath and his eyes were full of tears. He quickly unlocked the door and pulled Dipper inside. Once inside, the taller man pushed Dipper to the room and paced in front of him.

"This is why!" he exclaimed softly, rubbing his face. "What the fuck... What the FUCK?!" Bill was talking to himself more than to Dipper.

The younger male's adrenaline was still running high as he watched the blond having a meltdown. The former demon looked at the other again with scared and tired eyes, tears falling down his face. His eyes traveled down to the switchblade that was still in Dipper's hand.

"Where did you get that?" Bill began to back away from him a bit. Quickly, Dipper closed the knife and put it back into his bag then placed it on the ground.

"You can't trust everyone here," he explained softly and approached the shaking male. "I'm not going to hurt you."

Bill stayed quiet and hugged himself, looking down and shaking his head. Dipper wrapped his arms around the other like he had the night before. This time, it took a few moments before Bill allowed himself to lean against the other for support. Dipper felt the other bury his face into the crook of his neck.

"How do you do this by yourself?" Dipper asked, stroking his back slowly. "You keep telling me you're fine but…" he trailed off. Bill forced himself to pull away and leaned against the wall, staring at Dipper with a defeated look in his eyes.

"As you said," his voice croaked a bit. "I'm a bad liar."

"I thought you couldn't lie?" Dipper tried again. "Are you actually fine?"

"I know I will always end up fine," he explained quietly, rubbing his eyes. "So, it's not a lie."

"Are you okay?" the brunette started rubbing his arm. Bill clenched his jaw before slowly sliding down to sit on the ground. Dipper followed suit and sat next to him, wrapping his arm around the other's waist to pull him closer. "Should I take that as a no?"

"I want to be," he admitted softly, leaning into Dipper's touch. "I don't deserve it."

"You do in my eyes," the brunette sighed softly. "You're not allowed to prevent me from walking you home now."

Bill looked at Dipper but didn't respond, not wanting to argue anymore. They sat there in silence for a few minutes. The blond man leaned away from Dipper, pulling his legs close to his chest and rested his head on his knees, staring at the brunette.

"What if you get hurt?" he asked softly.

"Would it be bad to say I don't care?" Dipper suggested, still having his arm around Bill's waist. "As long as you're safe, I don't care."

"I don't deserve you," Bill whispered to the other, tearing up again. Dipper wiped some of the tears away with his free hand.

"You deserve a good friend for once," he explained, offering a comforting smile to the other. "Can I be that friend for you?"

Bill raised his head and moved his arms to embrace Dipper.

"You're such a stubborn Pine Tree," he mumbled into his shoulder, relaxing against the other.


	8. Chapter 8

Bill's birthday came rather quickly and on the weekend before, a private invitation was sent to all of his music students in all his classes to meet up at the park to discuss plans. Dipper kept the note to himself, not wanting to spoil the surprise for the professor. He was true to his word and walked Bill home every day. Although he was tempted to get up earlier to walk him to the school as well, Bill told him he would ignore him the entire time if he did that; stating again that he didn't want to get treated like a child.

Mabel was really excited about the surprise, being the first to demand being in charge of the decorations. Sunday was filled with Mabel shopping with her team for perfect party supplies. Older students already had some decorations, explaining that other students have attempted the surprise in the past. Unfortunately, they weren't organized and most of the students didn't arrive at the classroom in time to decorate properly. Dipper met up with his group to put together a list of performers and the others tried talking him into singing as well, some even offering to give him singing lessons. He stood his ground though, explaining he only sang with his sister at home.

The students split up into their teams once everyone met up inside Bill's classroom at 6:30 AM, a good hour before the professor was supposed to arrive. Wendy's team was in charge of setting up the food while Dipper was a part of the team in charge of the music. There were multiple students that wanted to perform a few of their original songs, giving thanks to the professor that helped them get to that point. The last group was in charge of stacking the presents on another table, making sure they weren't on the ground to get trampled on.

While setting up, Dipper spoke with a few of the students about the professor. Every student was excited to talk about the professor and none had anything bad to say. He listened silently, not wanting to miss any possible good information. For someone who has done so much evil, it shocked Dipper to see the former demon not continuing the actions as a human.

Minutes were dwindling down as the other three groups were done, immediately helping the last group getting the last of the decorations up. The room was covered in yellow and black streamers, balloons, a huge sign that read "Happy Birthday." The majority of the students finished their jobs and dedicated themselves to finish setting the rest of the decorations up.

Once completed, Mabel flicked off the light and students used their phone flashlights to get into the middle to huddle together. Within several minutes of waiting, the students heard the sound of a key unlocking the door to the classroom. Bill entered the classroom with Andrew following, flicking the light on.

"SURPRISE!" the students screamed in unison. The scream caused Bill to jump and yelp, tripping over his feet and falling onto his bottom. A few students ran over to help the teacher up while others chuckled at his reaction. The professor was as red as a tomato but laughed with the students, accepting the help to stand back up.

"Seriously?" Bill asked, still shocked over the surprise. He walked towards the rest of the students with a big smile on his face.

"Happy Birthday!" dozens of students cheered, making room in the middle for him. A few students came up and hugged the professor and chatted with him.

Dipper stayed towards the back of the crowd, watching him interact with the others. A few of the students started to get the music equipment ready for the first performer. Bill stood around a few students that were holding onto him as the guitarist began strumming. Music filled the room and a few people began dancing with each other while others were clapping along with the music. The professor's face had a tint of pink on his cheeks as he watched everyone. It was clear that he didn't expect the students to pull off the surprise as smoothly as they did. Dipper couldn't help but smile while watching the former demon. The respect these students had for him was overwhelming. Even Andrew was talking to some students, enjoying the surprise as well.

The performances went by well and quickly, seeing that there wasn't too much time before they all had to go to their first classes. The presents were brought to the teacher one by one. Although Bill tried to tell them they didn't have to give anything to him, seeing that the surprise was more than enough, they all demanded that he opened the gifts anyways.

Dipper and Mabel spent the time after the meeting on Saturday to get or put together a gift. While Mabel put together a quick sweater for him, Dipper wanted to get him a top hat. The sweater that Mabel made was oversized, yellow, with an eye in the middle like the one he used to have as a triangle. Once it was their turn to give their gifts, Bill finally acknowledged them. While the professor knew they were they, he didn't get a chance to greet them with all of the other students talking to him, not that he minded too much.

"You didn't have to-" he started to say to Mabel but she shushed him by shoving the present into his arms.

"Too late!" she giggled. They watched as Bill opened the gift, smirking and shaking his head when he saw the eye.

"No one will understand this," he told her, putting it on over his shirt. "I love it, thank you." He stared down at the familiar eye with a spark in his eyes.

"Anytime!" she cheered, running over to Candy afterward. Dipper stepped forward and offered his present to the other.

"I warned you that I was going to get you a gift already," he said quickly, smiling sweetly. Bill rolled his eyes but accepted the gift, keeping the smile on her face.

"I know," he chuckled. "I remembered." Opening the gift, he furrowed his eyebrows a bit and looked at Dipper with a look on his face that the brunette couldn't pinpoint. "Really?"

"I'm sure it'll still suit you," he explained quickly, stepping out of the way for the next student.

Bill didn't respond, instead, he took the top hat out the box carefully and placed it on his head. The next few students complimented the new sweater and hat. The gifts from the other students were mainly stuff that he could use for his classes, knowing the teacher had to pay for the items himself anyways. A few items seemed confusing to Dipper as he looked at the pile of gifts, but figured the students knew the teacher much more than he really did. The gifts contained multiple guitar string sets, a few pairs of dress shoes, a guitar and piano tuner, bags, and many decorative pieces like little statues of random symbols and other more regular office supplies.

When 8 AM rolled around, most students started to say their goodbyes and left to go to their respected classes. With the food basically gone, Dipper helped a few other students clean the area. Class began after the trash was taken out. The decorations stayed up via request of Bill; he said he felt happy seeing them and didn't want to take the student's hard work away so soon.

There wasn't a lesson that day, giving everyone a chance to work on their final song again. This time though, some students went to one of the private rooms and sat in a circle to share what they put together. Bill sat with the group with his guitar in his hand, playing for each student as they sampled their song. Due to being in the private room, Dipper was left staring at the closed door. It wasn't until he was pushed out of his chair when he noticed his sister mumbling his name to get his attention, annoyed he wasn't listening.

"Are you even listening?" she crossed her arms playfully, feeling slightly bad for getting so upset. Dipper got back into the chair, rubbing his bum.

"My bad," he apologized. "What were you saying?"

"I was saying," she rolled her eyes. "We need to work on your song."

"My song?" Dipper looked confused. "I'm not singing."

"Yes you are," she smirked and leaned back in her seat. "A few of the students told me while we were getting the supplies that Bill wanted everyone to work on their own song. You know, they're really confused why we're working together so I lied and said you were singing your own song."

Dipper bit his bottom lip, remembering Bill explain that to everyone when he snuck into the class for the first time. Sighing, he gave in. "I was hoping when he said 'two for one' he meant all I had to do was write."

"Maybe he meant we can work together?" Mabel suggested, shrugging. Dipper shook his head.

"We might have to scrap your song," he mumbled. She pouted and shook her head quickly.

"No," she whined. "It's so cute, I don't want to."

"I remembered him explaining the rule to the class," he started to explain. "He said if two people do a duet, they have to do two songs."

"We can't collaborate with each other?" she asked.

"I don't remember him talking about that," he shrugged. "But I know he wants everyone to write a song. So, I feel like collaborations probably won't be allowed."

"He didn't say anything about it when we started," she tried to reason.

"Can you just write one just in case?" he asked, wanting to stop debating. "We can ask later, he's kind of busy right now."

"No," she stated stubbornly. "Right now, we both are going to work on your song. We can ask him after he's done."

"I can work on my own song without you," he stuck his tongue out. "I think it's you who needs me."

"Rude!" sticking her tongue out too, she pouted more. "I don't want to start over. Do I have to?"

"You'll be fine," he patted her shoulder. "I'm sure you can still sing that song to Pacifica. I don't think it belongs to the school."

A smile emerged on her lips, suddenly very happy. "I didn't think about that!" With that, she took out a blank paper and started to write down different song ideas. Rolling his eyes, Dipper took out a new blank paper as well.

Dipper didn't know what to write in his song; he thought about how he felt towards Bill but it didn't feel right writing about the blond man. Yes, he was attractive, and maybe if it wasn't actually Bill, he would admit to having a petty crush on his professor. But nope, this is Bill. The once evil triangle the tried taking over the universe. Although he was nice to everyone, Dipper couldn't help but still feel a bit skeptical towards him.

Sighing inwardly, Dipper leaned back in his seat and let his eyes close. He was picturing himself in Bill's position. From being an almost undefeatable being made from pure energy to a meaningless human had to of been a hard transition. Especially with having to start in the streets. Even now, Dipper's had to watch Bill go through a few scary experiences in just simply walking home. A pit began forming in the brunette's stomach, causing him to hug himself and straighten in his seat. He hated watching anyone go through bad times. Knowing this is common truly worried Dipper. Of course, he would want to help anyone that would go through a bad day. Bill just needs a friend to lean on, that's all. A question came into Dipper's mind; would he have been so accepting towards the former demon if Mabel didn't tell him to be his friend?

Thoughts started swirling around how calm Bill talked about his curse. While, yes, he seems scared when the curse shows a chance to take his life, he didn't seem phased about the smaller annoyances he has to deal with on a daily bases that Dipper doesn't see. After spending more time with the professor, he started to notice the small bruises on his arms when he wore shorter sleeve shirts. It was rare when Bill wore a shirt that kind of exposed his arms, especially not above his elbow. The bruise Dipper ended up giving him still haven't healed and the brunette couldn't help but wonder how long the other bruises have been present. Part of Dipper wondered if Bill ever got them checked out with a doctor.

Dipper glances over to his sister who had been writing random cheesy one-liners and quotes on her paper. Part of him wondered why she even wanted his help in the first place. Other than going with rhythm, he considered her more musically talented than himself. Then it dawned on him. He would have to _sing._ Not just sing into himself or with Mabel, but _in front of the entire class._ The pit in his stomach quickly turned into dread and he groaned, almost slamming his face onto the table. Mabel looked at her brother and smirked, laughing a bit at her frustrated brother.

"Something wrong?" she asked, already knowing the reason for his sudden abuse to himself.

"I can't sing," he mumbled, not moving his face.

"Says you," she retorted. "You sound fine, I don't see why you keep telling everyone no to singing."

"I'm not that good," he tried to argue, picking his head up to stare at his sister.

"You don't need to be perfect to be good," she rolled her eyes. "Be proud of your voice, at least you don't break glass."

Dipper shook his head and stared at the blank paper. "I don't even know what to write about."

"You can go with love again," she suggested. He shook his head quickly.

"No thanks," he stated blandly. "Next?"

"Family?" she shrugged.

"I wouldn't even know who to write about," he admitted, rubbing his eyes a bit.

"Stop looking so stressed out," Mabel rolled her eyes. "This is the happy part of life, enjoy it."

"Happy part?" Dipper looked at her weirdly. "How is this the happy part?"

"Well," she began. "You're at a good academy and never have homework here. You're literally paying to keep busy doing what you want."

"I still have grant money," he shrugged. "But I wouldn't call this the good part of my life."

"Then when would that start for you?" she tilted her head.

"When I write a book," he replied, almost immediately.

"Then write," she stated simply.

"What? I can't just write, it needs to be good!" he complained.

"Then what do you want me to say?" she asked. "You don't feel happy?" Concern flashed in her eyes as she stared at him. "Is something wrong?"

"I just," he trailed off, trying to avoid her eyes. "I want to feel important. Like there's a reason I'm here. I think writing a book can help."

"You're important to me," she spoke softly. "Things take time, don't think that far forward. You'll drive yourself crazy. Life is hard for everyone."

Dipper sighed softly. "Can we skip to the good part?" he asked, causing Mabel to smile a bit.

"If only," she giggled softly and went back to writing on her paper.

Dipper rubbed his cheek and stared at the paper more. "Mom and dad had a good life," he mumbled, knowing Mabel could still hear her. He looked at her and smiled weakly. "If I'm not meant to write a good book that'll help people in whatever way, what the hell am I going to do with mine?"

"That's the best part," she glanced over to her brother for a moment with a wide smile on her face. "Whatever you want."

He fell silent, thinking over the conversation he just had. Maybe that can be written somehow into a song. Quickly, Dipper began writing down some of the things that he and Mabel were talking about. Soon, he had a couple of lines written down that he didn't mind.

Bill exited the room after several minutes, walking around from student to student thanking them again. There were a few people that had him read over their lyrics, causing him to take longer before getting to Dipper and Mabel. Once he was in front of the twins, Mabel was the first to speak.

"Do we need to write two songs?" she was leaning forward in her chair, eyes full of hope.

"Yes," Bill said immediately. "I apologize, I don't think I made that clear for you both."

Mabel looked at Dipper and stuck her tongue out. "Told you," she giggled before looking back to the professor. "Can I keep the first song we wrote together?"

"Who did more work on it?" he asked softly, glancing Dipper for a moment.

"I thought of the beat," she pouted a bit. "His writing was for _my_ crush so I would argue we both did an equal amount of work."

"If he wrote all the lyrics," Bill started to explain, "then that would be considered his song for the final. But that does mean he would have to be the one singing it in the studio."

"So we're scraping it," Dipper said flatly. "I'm not singing it."

Mabel whined and looked a bit sad. "Can I at least keep it for me outside of the class?" Bill nodded, giving Mabel her smile back.

"You just won't be able to get it professionally recorded here," he explained formally.

"Question," Dipper started to ask. "What did you mean when you said 'two students for one' when we talked about Mabel and I joining?"

"I meant reserving one seat but getting two students. Because Mabel wasn't technically in the school's system, I get a reward when encouraging people to join the school. My reward can be anything that the school would allow, so I picked adding a second student of my choosing that was already attending the school. Because there's a waiting list to get into my classes, you would have had to go on that if it weren't for Mabel," Bill explained.

"So," Dipper started to chew on his bottom lip. "I should have had to be more specific, huh?" Bill nodded. "If that how you get away with lying?"

"I wouldn't it call it lying," he snickered a bit. "I just worded in a confusing way. I said you could join if you wanted, I never said you weren't going to be required to sing."

Dipper rolled his eyes but couldn't help but laugh a little bit at the misunderstanding. "Damn," he grunted jokingly, causing Mabel to giggle.

"Do you need lessons?" Bill asked suddenly. "During my breaks, I offer singing lessons to anyone who asks."

"I-I don't know," the brunette started to shake his head.

"Why not?" the professor questioned. "If you're just rough around the edges, I'm sure I can help you."

"He'll take them," Mabel interrupted, ignoring Dipper's protests. "His singing is fine, he's just shy."

"Mabel," he growled at his sister.

"That settles it then," Bill interjected. "Come back at 6 and I'll give you at least one lesson to see where you're at. Does that sound okay?"

"Okay, fine," he grumbled, looking at the random words on his desk.

"Thank you both again for this morning," Bill smiled sweetly to them. "I honestly didn't expect the students to try again after last year, so I really appreciate it."

With that, he left the twins alone once again to help some of the other students before class ended.

The rest of the day felt to have flown by, not that Dipper was complaining much. By the time 6 PM rolled around, Dipper was already outside of the classroom doors. Once Bill's last class fully exited the room, he walked in and was greeted with a wave from Bill.

"We're going to a private room," he called to him, starting to walk over to the room he had been in earlier that day.

Dipper didn't respond but followed the professor, taking note that Andrew was getting things ready to leave. Once inside, Bill sat in front of a piano that was inside. The room was plain but had a few chairs inside with a piano and guitar. Feeling awkward, Dipper sat in the furthest chair from the professor. After a few moments, Bill turned and gave Dipper a confused look.

"Come sit next to me," he suggested. "I don't bite."

The brunette mentally smacked himself. Why is he being so weird today? Trying to clear his mind, he moved to sit next to the professor.

"Just relax," he told him. "We'll just go over the basics and see where it takes us."

Bill's fingers glided over the keys before playing one note.

"Can you mimic this tone with your voice?" he played the key again. Dipper nodded. "Alright, that's all you have to do. Every time I move a key up, go ahead and follow suit."

Dipper felt heat rush to his face as he opened his mouth and took a breath in. Bill pressed down on the key again and waited. Once the note left Dipper's throat, the brunette closed his eyes and looked down. As if not noticing, Bill played the key again.

"If you need to keep your eyes closed, that's fine," his voice was soft. "Just relax. Pretend you're alone."

Dipper took his advice and kept his eyes shut, pushing the note out of his throat again. The professor started to travel up the notes, only stopping when Dipper hit the highest he could with his voice. Once he knew Dipper's range, he began asking the student to sing nursery rhymes. The entire time Dipper sang he kept his eyes shut.

Soon, he learned the doe-ray-me pattern and worked a little on runs. Bill instructed Dipper to make different mouth movements to get certain notes to be filled with more emotion. He explained that a note can sound different with something as simple as mouth movement. After working on the runs for about 10 minutes straight, Bill pulled out some sheet music and lyrics, placing them in front of them both.

"Are you familiar with Billie Eilish?" he asked while setting the sheets up.

"Yeah," he mumbled, finally opening his eyes.

"This is her song with Khalid," he pointed at the sheet music. "There are two different keys in this song, go ahead and try singing both to see which you would be more comfortable singing."

They played with the song for a little bit. Dipper, feeling a little more confident than before, kept his eyes opened to read the lyrics even though he already knew the song. He tried both keys but couldn't manage to nail the chorus. Giving up, he stopped singing mid-chorus and shook his head.

"I can't sing that high," he spoke with his insecurity raising.

"That fine," he stopped playing and looked to the brunette. "We'll start again; try singing the song in any key now. Don't start singing until you're comfortable."

He started to play the keys again, this time opening his own mouth to sing the female's part of the song. Bill's voice was warm, causing Dipper to feel light headed at how smooth his tone was.

 _Thought I found a way_

 _Thought I found a way, yeah_

 _But you never go away_

 _So I guess I gotta stay now_

The student closed his eyes again and waited for a few moments before joining the professor in singing the sad but lovely song.

 _Oh I hope someday I'll make it out of here_

 _Even if it takes all night or a hundred years_

 _Need a place to hide, but I can't find one near_

 _Wanna feel alive, outside I can fight my fear_

Once at the chorus, Dipper stopped singing but listened to Bill sing the chorus softly.

 _Isn't it lovely, all alone?_

 _Heart made of glass, my mind of stone_

Dipper opened his eyes a bit then joined his teacher, harmonizing with him.

 _Tear me to pieces, skin, and bone_

 _Hello, welcome home_

Bill's fingers were soft on the keys, letting them up once the last note left their mouths. The professor then smiled brightly at the student.

"That was good," he complimented and ruffled his hair. Dipper blushed deeply and looked away. "Why didn't you want to sing? I know you liked singing as a child."

"That's just it," the brunette rubbed his hands together. "I was a child. Only Mabel thought I had potential."

"You should listen to her more," Bill smiled warmly to him. "I thought you would be a lot worse. Practice more, you'll be fine." Dipper smiled a bit but stayed quiet. "We can wrap this up and continue another day if you want?" the former demon offered, taking note of how quiet the student was.

Dipper nodded before standing up and stretching. "How often do you get students asking for lessons?"

"At least once a week," he explained. "But they usually have their lessons during my break; I had one today for example. That's why I said at 6 instead of noon."

"Do you have another lesson tomorrow?" Dipper asked, picking up his bag.

"Yes," he nodded, placing his papers inside a folder before placing it into his bag. "But we can meet up again like this next week? Or whenever you want lessons. It's up to you."

Dipper smiled a bit and nodded. "I walk you home anyway, we can do this before heading home sometimes."

"I must warn you though," Bill walked to the door and opened it, letting Dipper exit the room first before following. "I have to put a limit. I don't show favoritism in my classes; once students find out I offered a lesson at this time, more students will ask to be helped during this time. That can also mean you will have to wait for me if you still want to be my bodyguard." He stopped walking before exiting the classroom altogether and turned to Dipper, causing him to stop walking as well. "You have no obligation to wait for me, I personally don't like feeling rushed with my students."

Something started to bubble in Dipper's chest as he listened to his teacher. Without responding, he pulled his bag in front of himself and pulled out the switch knife, pressing it against Bill's hand. The professor tried rejecting the object but Dipper closed his hand around the professor's, making him hold onto the blade.

"Please," he asked, staring right at Bill. "I won't walk you on days you're giving a private lesson, but I don't want you to be unprotected while walking. Think of it as another birthday gift."

"You've already given me too much," Bill tried to protest. "All I see myself doing with this is hurting myself in some way."

Dipper let Bill's hand go but the professor kept holding the blade. "It's just to scare attackers off. You probably won't actually have to use it."

Bill sighed, giving up and slid the blade in his back pocket. "Hopefully."


	9. Chapter 9

Halloween was approaching quicker than Dipper realized. Bill stayed true to his word on giving singing lessons to other students after his final class. There were some days Dipper couldn't actually wait for the professor but that was due to Stan requesting his help with the Halloween rush. Families came down every year to visit their kids in college to check out the mysterious town, feeling the town was perfect for the holiday. Of course, there are two days a year they celebrated Halloween, but there was something haunting at going through the Mystery Shack on a fall night than on a summer night.

The week of Halloween, Bill stayed for hours after school to help the theatre students put together a haunted house at the school. Every department at the school had their own job. The writers were required to construct the scene in the haunted house. Who died, who's being haunted, what do the scenes look like, etc. The theatre and performing arts students split the characters in roles amongst themselves. The art students created the walls along with the body art on each actor and actress. The music department was in charge of putting together haunting sounds and screams. A selected few were given the chance to go into the studio early to record some songs and sounds. With everyone working together like they were, it didn't take long for the set to be built in the middle of the campus, right around the stage.

Dipper stuck more with the fellow writers, not wanting to get stuck messing with the soundtracks for the house. Mabel, on the other hand, did everything she could to help out with the body art. After some debates and questioning, they got it cleared with Bill to allow Mabel to help the other department if they need it. Of course, with the amount of work that needed to be done, the art department accepted her help, letting her join them in the make-up artists in body pain for the actors and actresses. The week was completely full of putting together this event, rather than focusing on school work but no one really seemed to mind.

On Halloween day, the haunted house was a success. The majority of the students weren't actively working during the haunted house, but they still enjoyed watching their work come to life for the loved ones. Stan and Ford also came to the event upon Mabel's request. Unfortunately, this was information that he had forgotten to let Bill know about. All the students wore bloody clothing, their faces were painted deathly pale with dark circles around their eyes. A few students even invested in some contacts to help with the effect. The staff were all dressed up as either skeletons in tuxedos. Bill wore the top hat from Dipper while the other professors either wore a shorter top hat, headbands, or flowers.

Once you walk into the campus, the ground is covered in dark, fake branches and leaves, some covered in a red substance that was supposed to represent blood. The branches were braided together, forming a path up to the entry of the haunted house. Fake graves were planted on top of the grass to give off a cemetery vibe. The walls were built from foam and cardboard together but in between the two layers were soundproof acoustic panels. The art students painted the walls beige and decorated with black and red scratch marks scattered on different parts of the walls. Bill stood at the entrance of the haunted house with a female professor. They both wore capes but he had a cane, smiling like an idiot as he greeted the families that came up.

Dipper's heart was beating hard in his chest as he walked into campus with both of his Grunkles. Mabel was an active working student, claiming she needed to stay around to fix the student's make up when needed. Due to this, she was at the end of the maze with a few of the other make-up artists, thanking the visitors and comforting those who were actually frightened.

"This is neat!" Ford complimented, looking around. "You said you all did this in a week?"

"Well, not just my class," Dipper tried keeping his tone as calm as possible, not wanting to show how worried he actually was. There was a good line to get into the haunted house, but that didn't mean it would take too much longer before they were going to be in front of the line.

"Welcome to our house, mortals!" Bill greeted, smiling like a mad man. The female professor was smiling as well and held the tickets. "Be careful!" Bill held a finger to his lips, staring at the newcomers as they bought their tickets to enter. Happiness was sparkling in his eyes as he spoke, going along with the story. "Our children don't like visitors!" After that, three random students come out of the entrance quickly and grabbed onto the shocked visitors, dragging the group inside for the horror show.

Only 5 to 6 people were allowed in every 30 seconds, wanting to give enough room between the groups. Of course, Dipper along with other students that came back to see the finished project already knew how they would be greeted. They let themselves be amused at the look of fear on their families faces as they were drug inside. Once they were all in front of Bill, the former demon did the best that he could not freeze up.

He greeted them the same way as the others with just as much energy, splitting his attention from the three and the three other people that were going inside with them. Ford eyed the enthusiastic man weirdly while Stan allowed himself to be entertained. Dipper paid for the tickets while Bill spoke.

"Why are you so happy about this?" a woman behind Dipper asked, her voice dripping in anxiety and fear from having to go through the haunted house.

Bill took this moment to laugh maniacally, shaking his head at the parent. "See you on the other side!" This was the Bill that Dipper remembered, taking amusement in other people's fear. A bubble of fear started to grow inside of the brunette's chest, flashing back and remembering the haunting laugh that took months in therapy to get past.

Before the woman could respond, they were all forcefully pulled inside by a different set of students. Dipper let out a shaky voice, hoping his Grunkles didn't recognize his crazy voice. His hands were shaking as he walked through the house. Now that he thought about it, he never actually got a good look inside. The walls had bloody handprints smearing to the next room. At the door, the hinge was one of the shorter actresses. She wore a battered, old looking dress that was torn and had a plastic knife glued to her chest. Her eyes looked dead as she stared into Dipper's eyes.

A yelp escaped from Dipper's throat, causing him to turn away and start chanting to himself. "It's not real," he repeated in a whisper in a not-so-confident voice.

He pushed his way through the doorway, not glancing back at the girl as she began to scream on the top of her lungs. Stan jumped at this and yelled a bit, running past the girl with Ford to catch up with Dipper. Ford seemed to be the calmest, just looking around the room as they walked. The walls had photos taped to the walls with knives pierced through them. Blood was everywhere, fake of course, and some room contained more gruesome scenes. These included students laying on the ground pretending to be dead, while others contain someone pacing back and forth laughing just as maniacally as Bill had earlier while holding a knife, blood splattered on her face.

Once he made it out of the haunted house, he fell to his knees and saw the light start to dim. Dipper's brain was flashing back to the graphic scenes he did actually see in person as a child. He didn't even feel Mabel by his side by the time his breathing became uneven. A low and rough voice started calling his name, causing Dipper to gasp sharply and his vision started to black out. He could remember everything that had happened all those years ago, from seeing roadkill on the road while searching for his family, to the horrific reddened triangle that threatened to disassemble their molecules.

Mabel recognized her brother falling into an anxiety attack and held him close as he shook rapidly. Ford crouched next to the twins, rubbing his shoulder gently and giving Dipper a pitiful look. Stan grumbled to himself but made no attempt to comfort the adult. After a few minutes, Dipper came to and lifted his head off of his sister's shoulder. She released her brother but didn't make any moves to stand yet. A little dazed, the brunette male looked around and rubbed his face.

"Are you okay?" Ford asked.

"You haven't had an attack in years," Mabel was worried, staring at her brother with care in her eyes.

"Sorry," Dipper mumbled softly. "I don't know what happened back there. I'll be okay."

"Great," Stan turned to the trio. "Are you sane enough to answer a question?"

"Stan!" Ford narrowed his eyes at his brother. "You can ask him later."

"Grunkle Stan," Mabel warned. "Don't even make jokes about being insane, it took a lot to get over Weirdmageddon," her voice was soft, not wanting the other students to hear her.

"All I want is an answer," Stan protested. "That guy at the front, is that Bill?" Stan's shoulders were tense as he pointed to the haunted house.

"Are you talking about Professor Cipher?" one of the other students asked, looking towards the group from where she was standing. Mabel looked over to her and sighed a bit.

"Don't worry about it," she let her know, giving her a fake smile before looked back at Stan, narrowing her eyes a bit. "Not now," she whispered, shaking her head a bit.

Stan lowered his arm and sighed heavily. "Fine," he turned away from them and started to walk away. "I'm going home."

Dipper couldn't sleep, nightmares were forcing him to wake up every few hours. Around 3 AM, Dipper gave up on sleeping and stared at the ceiling, listening to his heart race harshly. He left his bed and got dressed before heading outside and into the forest to clear his mind. There was a small clearing nearby the shack and Dipper slowed himself to sit on an old trunk. The stars shine brightly above him. A small smile grew on his face as he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. After a few moments of just relaxing and taking in his surroundings, he began to hear a ruffle in a bush in a distance. The sound caused Dipper to jerk his head towards the source of the sound. The hairs on his arms stood up as the cool wind blew by.

"Bill?" Dipper called out, feeling his heart begin to race. Now, he was sure it was out of fear. "Bill, are you there?" There wasn't a response at first but just as Dipper got up to run back to the Shack, a figure came into view.

Andrew.

Relief washed through Dipper before confusion hit him. "What are you doing all the way out here?"

"Warning," he stated, unblinking. Dipper froze and stared at the dark haired man.

"What kind of warning?" he asked slowly, feeling fear rise in his chest.

"Let him go," Andrew responded in a monotone voice. "Don't try anything."

"What?" Dipper stared at the man more confused than before. "What would I try?"

"Just don't," he stated again before turning away from the brunette.

"Wait!" Dipper started to walk towards the man but felt something wrap around his left ankle, causing him to fall onto the ground. He growled into the grass, looking down to his foot to see a strange vine growing out of the grass, tightening its hold onto his ankle.

Andrew did stop for a moment but didn't turn to face Dipper. "You'll regret it," he warned, speaking over his shoulder before walking away again.

Once Andrew was out of his sight, Dipper's ankle was released.

'So much for clearing my mind,' Dipper thought to himself as he got to his feet and headed back toward the Shack. For the rest of the night, Dipper wondered what the strange man was talking about.

The next day, Bill announced in his class that the recording sessions will begin soon due to the number of students that claimed to be ready to record. Although Bill encouraged them to work on other songs as well, there were still a solid amount of people that didn't want to even think about a different song at that time. Dipper felt himself keeping a distance from himself and the professor, dogging his attention every chance he got. Even when he came up to Dipper directly to see if he needed help, the brunette just brushed him off and kept to himself. Mabel thought it was just the anxiety attack from the night before so she made sure to stay next to him for the class.

Mabel was technically done with her song but wasn't really satisfied with the result. Dipper tried helping her with the song but kept losing concentration, glancing over to where Andrew was sitting occasionally though out the class. Every time he looked over though, the helper was staring right at him and not moving.

Dipper's off mood was obvious and once the school day ended, the brunette found himself not knowing whether he should stay and walk with the professor again, or if he should just go home. Instead of waiting outside of the department, he started to wait by the entrance of the school instead. At this point, he was used to waiting and chatting with people that walked by. But today, he was very anxious. He couldn't figure out if it was just left over from the flashes he experienced again or if it formed the warning Andrew gave him. If he didn't know better, he could have passed off running into Andrew as a dream. Except with the stares he gave the younger male proved that the conversation was more than just a dream.

When 6 PM rolled around, Dipper had moved his spot to in front of a tree next to the street. He waited patiently while watching a few students leave campus. Anxiety because to fill Dipper's stomach as soon as he saw the blond male walking out. Bill's shoulders were slouched a bit and he was looking down as he walked. Andrew followed right behind him and Dipper watched as the helper's eyes darted around the area before unlocking his bike. For a moment, Bill looked up and glanced around as well. The brunette assumed he was looking for him but watched the professor lower his head in disappointment as he began walking towards the street to head home. Dipper stayed leaning against the tree as he watched the former demon. Before he crossed the street, the brunette pushed himself to walk towards the professor.

"Bill!" he called out, voice sounding hoarse. Quickly, the blond man turned around and made eye contact with the brunette. He watched as Bill seemly raised his shoulders and relief cross over his features.

"I thought you went home, Pine Tree," he greeted Dipper with a small smile. "You seemed like you had a lot on your mind."

Dipper felt his heart beat harder with every step he took towards the taller man. He glanced towards where Andrew was and saw the man watching every move the student was making. This made him feel uneasy. Once he got to Bill's side, he saw the other was also staring at Andrew.

"Don't worry about it," Dipper tried ignoring the stares from the other man, crossing the street. Bill tore his eyes away and looked back at the brunette.

"You can talk to me," Bill's voice was gentle, following the shorter male. "You've been a good friend to me, I want to be there for you too."

Dipper ignored Bill's words and continued walking in silence. Once they were far enough from the school, Bill started to speak.

"Did Stan or Ford recognize me?" he asked softly.

"Probably," Dipper shrugged. "Mabel talked to them, I went straight to my room."

"Did something happen?" Bill questioned.

"Like I said," the brunette shrugged. "Don't worry about it. You already apologized, there's nothing more you can do to make it better."

Bill had an idea on what Dipper was talking about from hearing from some students that someone had a meltdown after going through the haunted house. They were quiet for a little while, leaving Bill to piece together what Dipper was talking about.

"I'm sorry," the blond man apologized.

"I know," Dipper responded softly. "As I said, time will heal."

The rest of the way back was quiet, leaving Bill to feel guilty over traumatizing the boy.

"Was I too much?" Bill asked after a while.

"No," Dipper shook his head. "Halloween is a perfect holiday for you. You were actually yourself for once." Confusion washed over Bill's face as he listened to him speak. Dipper noticed the look and scoffed a bit. "Come on," he shook his head. "You're trying to convince me that an all-powerful, maniac demon just magically turned nice after becoming human?"

Hurt flashed in Bill's eyes and he stopped walking, staring at Dipper. The brunette noticed the man's actions and stopped as well, looking back at the former demon.

"You don't believe me," Bill stated more than questioned, trying to keep a straight face to hide how hurt he felt. Dipper was able to see right through it though.

"This isn't you," Dipper confirmed. "You wear your mask well, don't get me wrong, but this isn't you."

"Why are you here if you think I'm lying?" Bill wondered, looking away from Dipper and crossing his arms.

"I made a promise," the brunette stated simply. Bill shook his head.

"No," he sighed. "You didn't." Something dark crossed over Bill's face a bit. "You're pitying me, aren't you?"

Dipper stayed quiet for a moment, unsure how to respond. 'Is that was it was? Pure pity? No, Mabel would be upset if—' Dipper thoughts were interrupted by Bill walking past him. Without thinking, the brunette ran in front of the Bill to stop him.

"No," he said firmly, although he wasn't sure if it were the truth. "I don't." Bill stared at him blankly. "I promise, I wouldn't be friends with you over pity." The promise sounded forced but Dipper was sticking with it, even if it weren't fully true.

"Why did you take so long to respond then?" the former demon asked quietly, a distant look in his eyes.

"I-I don't know," Dipper looked away and sighed. "I guess I didn't think of being friends with you out of feeling bad for you or not."

"I told you not to," Bill stated. "It's not worth it. I'm not worth it."

Dipper stayed quiet for a moment then looked up at Bill again.

"I know," he responded. "I just want to know you more then."

Bill let his arms fall to his sides and began to walk again, Dipper following suit.

"Can you explain what changed you so much?" the brunette asked.

"All in due time," Bill responded, not looking back to the other.

The rest of the walk back was quiet, but surprisingly not awkward. Even more surprisingly, safe. Dipper stopped across the street from the apartment complex as Bill began to cross the street. Dipper watched Bill's figure moving away before walking the rest of the way home.


	10. Chapter 10

Two weeks passed by rather quickly, the days completely filled with studio sessions to get songs finalized and recorded. The second week was filled with over-the-top announcements of Pacifica's birthday that was that Saturday. At the beginning of the week, it was just overdramatic. Unfortunately, instead of just leaving it at one announcement, Pacifica made sure the entire school knew. Although, she invited very few people. Of course, Mabel and Dipper were the first ones to be invited. That was the perfect time for Mabel to sing her the song they wrote together back when they first started the music theory class.

During the walk on Monday, Dipper brought up Pacifica's birthday via a request from Mabel. That morning before school, Mabel asked Dipper to talk Bill into coming to the party as well to help out with the performance. At first, he was going to deny the request, saying she should be the one to ask. His sister then pointed out the awkwardness to ask a professor that during school. So, here he was, walking next to his professor after school.

"You know Pacifica's birthday is coming up," Dipper started, feeling a little awkward to bring the girl up.

"I've heard," Bill nodded, glancing over to the other as they walked.

"Mabel wants to sing the song we wrote a few weeks ago," he continued. "She wanted me to ask you to be there to play the guitar."

"Aren't there going to be other students there?" the blond questioned.

"Yes," Dipper admitted. "But just the ones that actually know who you actually are. She doesn't talk to anyone who doesn't." Bill furrowed it eyebrows a bit.

"How many people know?" he asked consciously.

"Pacifica and Wendy know," the brunette thought a bit. "Unless Mabel told Candy, that should be it."

"There's no way only a few people would show up," Bill rolled his eyes. "She's announcing it to everyone. Won't it become a huge thing like their once a year party?"

Dipper shook his head. "Her parents are inviting a bunch of rich folks but that's all she's inviting from school. She doesn't like anyone, honestly. I'm shocked she invited Wendy if I were to be completely honest."

"So she's broadcasting it to make people jealous for not being invited?" Bill raised one eyebrow. Dipper shrugged.

"Is that really new?" he chuckled a bit. "She's still a Northwest."

"I don't want to get my photo taken," the blond man sighed. "I want to help, but I can't let the press take a photo of me. People will either get upset or excited. I don't want to make my free-time full of parties. Trust me, I've had my fill."

"I'll tell Mabel," he shrugged a bit. "Maybe she can have Pacifica to sneak you in."

Bill was quiet for a moment, thinking about what he had said earlier.

"Why did you tell them who I was?" he asked quietly.

"It was before I even talked to you about it," Dipper answered quickly. "It wasn't as if I was trying to be an asshole, I just really needed to know more information."

Bill dropped the topic after that, not wanting to go further into what information he wanted.

That night, Mabel was disappointed to hear the answer and called Pacifica quickly to ask if the professor could be snuck in. The blonde girl had many questions but Mabel simply stated that she needs Bill for the present and that it wouldn't be complete if she didn't have the full effect. Pacifica gave in rather quickly, not wanting to disappoint her crush.

The next day, Dipper told Bill the news on the walk home. While Bill was still hesitating to go to the party, he reluctantly agreed.

"She's probably going to have to practice," Bill mumbled to himself a bit, thinking hard. Dipper watched the man thinking and slowed his walking pace.

"Could she come after school as the rest have?" Dipper suggested. Bill shook his head and sighed, looking back at the brunette.

"I'm full this week," he explained. "If I take her after one of the other lessons, I'll never get to go home."

Dipper sighed and thought about the issue as well. Going to the Shack was a no go.

"What if we came over to your apartment?" the younger male suggested again. "Would that be alright?"

"That would be fine but," Bill trailed off and bit his bottom lip a bit. Dipper raised an eyebrow as he waited for the taller man to continue. "That means I have to clean."

Dipper began laughing. Bill's face turned red and he pouted a bit.

"Did you not see how dirty it was before?" he wondered, crossing his arms like a defiant child.

"We were kind of busy talking," Dipper shrugged, still chuckling a bit.

"You need glasses," Bill rolled his eyes as his tinted cheeks returned to a normal color. "It's filthy."

"I can help you clean," Dipper suggested, smiling brightly to the former demon. Bill sighed but gave in, admitting cleaning by himself would take too long.

As soon as they got to the apartment, Dipper let himself actually look around while Bill left to get the cleaning supplies from the restroom. It wasn't _filthy_ but it did look like most surfaces haven't been wiped down in months. The doors open to the living room on the right and the small kitchen to the left, nothing but carpet splitting the two rooms apart. When walking straight, Dipper saw two doors on the right side of the wall with a good distance between them. On the left side were a bathroom and closet.

"Why don't you ever clean?" Dipper asked, taking some gloves, cleaner, and washcloth.

"I clean the bathroom," he protested a bit. They put their gloves on and the blond opened a plastic garbage bag.

"But everything else?" Dipper walked around the living room, picking some takeout food up to throw away. "I mean, at least throw your old food away."

"If you're just going to make fun of me," Bill's face was red again. "then you can tell Mabel no."

"I'm sorry," Dipper held his hands up in defense. "I was just wondering if you were worried about rats."

Bill stayed quiet for a few moments and started to pick up some of the trash as well. They cleaned in silent for a little while until Dipper saw a radio sitting on a side table next to the small television.

"Got any music?" Dipper asked, looking back over to Bill.

The blond nodded and left into one of the two bedrooms, taking his gloves off. He came back with a speaker and cord in his hand. Confused, Dipper looked back to the radio then back to the other man who now had out his phone, searching for something on it. After a few minutes, the brunette watched the blond set the speaker up with his phone on the kitchen counter and turned on a popular playlist. Once the tune filled the room, Bill put a new pair of gloves on and began cleaning the kitchen up.

Almost immediately, Dipper recognized the melody and let the confusion with the radio that was in the living room go. 'Probably just decoration,' he thought to himself as he hummed with the song. After the first song, Dipper began actually singing lightly with the music. The sound of his voice filling the air brought a smile onto Bill's face as he wiped the counter down with cleaner.

Bill was able to finish cleaning the kitchen without much hassle and returned to the living room. Dipper at this point had filled 5 large trash bags and was currently wiping down his coffee table. Grabbing the bags carefully, Bill took the trash out to the dumpster. Dipper took this time along to proudly sing along with the song, not caring to try to properly hit the notes right. Once he was deep into the song, Bill returned but he didn't notice at first. The blond stood at the door watching the brunette sing while wiping down the other tables in the room. A soft chuckle left Bill's throat as Dipper pushed his vocal cords to hit the high note. After the song ended, Bill started clapping for Dipper. Jumping from the sudden noise, Dipper blushed deeply and froze up.

"You can sing," Bill continued chuckling. "It's cute to see you so into it. No judgment, sing your heart out." Dipper stuck his tongue out but visibly relaxed. The brunette started to smile as the next song came on and started to sing along with that tone as well.

Bill got his vacuum cleaner from the hall closet and started to vacuum the carpet. Dipper finished and threw away the gloves, pointing to Bill and singing dramatically. The blond man's smile never faded as he watched the brunette and joined him in singing. Dipper's heart skipped a beat and he continued singing to the popular song that played through the speakers.

After cleaning for two hours straight, the apartment was finally completely clean. Bill put on a new couch cover and sat down once they were finally done. It was close to 9 PM once they were done, leaving both feeling exhausted and satisfied as they looked at their hard work. The music was off at this point and was in Bill's hand as he scrolled through a list of restaurants that deliver, already stating he would get them both dinner.

"Do you know how to cook?" Dipper wondered aloud, watching the other man.

"Kind of," the blond didn't look up from his phone. "I cooked all the time in Portland but now, every time I do, something catches fire. I already had to replace the stove top, I'm not trying again."

Dipper stood up and walked to the kitchen. "Well, maybe I can cook something."

"I don't buy food that can be cooked on a stove," Bill looked away from his phone and watched the brunette as he opened his fridge.

"How do you live?" Dipper asked, astonished at the lack of food.

"Cereal," the former shrugged. "Sandwiches. Take out for dinner."

Dipper continued browsing the kitchen, finding cans of beans and vegetables. "So, what, do you microwave everything?" The brunette turned back to the other with a questionable look on his face.

"Is that wrong?" the blond asked, pouting a bit.

"No," he shook his head and walked back to the professor. "Just figured you would do better."

"It's not like I eat junk food," Bill scoffed but chuckled a bit and went back to his phone.

Bill ordered Chinese food, claiming it became some of his favorite food since being in the town. They watched cheesy horror films while they waited for the food to arrive, laughing at the no-so-scary scenes that were on the small TV screen. Once the food did arrive, the TV was turned off and they were left to talk about anything and everything. Dipper watched Bill the whole time, from how he would smile at some topics and be a little more reserved with others. He even caught the blond moving some food over to the side in one of the now empty containers. Once it was full, he stood up and excused himself for a moment. Dipper followed the taller man after he left and watched at the blond knocked at the furthest door from the living room. It opened to reveal Andrew.

'Wow,' Dipper thought to himself as he moved his way back to the couch. 'I didn't even think of him.'

Bill came back to the couch a few minutes later, now empty-handed, and sat next to the brunette again. Dipper stayed quiet for a few minutes before looked over to the blond.

"I didn't realize he lived here," Dipper admitted. Bill snickered a bit, looking at the brunette with a dumbfounded expression.

"Where else would he live?" he remarked.

"Is he human?" Dipper asked, ignoring the comment.

"No," Bill started to explain. "But since he's in a human shell, he still needs to eat."

Dipper was tempted to tell Bill the events of seeing him a few nights ago but felt like he didn't know if it would help. Instead, he moved the conversation back to the reason they cleaned in the first place.

"So," Dipper watched as Bill started picking up the trash. "Mabel." Bill caught on right away to what the brunette was going to ask about.

"You guys can come over after I'm off," he explained. "Probably shouldn't stay this late, but you both are welcomed to stay for a little bit to practice."

Dipper smiled sweetly as he watched the professor take the items to the trash can that was sitting in his kitchen. When Bill returned to his seat, he held his phone out.

"I might need your number," he suggested, suddenly feeling shy. After walking with each other for so long, they never exchanged numbers. "You know, for Saturday."

Bill nodded and hesitantly grabbed Dipper's phone to type his number in. Before handing it back, the professor called his own phone to get the brunette's number in return.

The week went by smoothly and Mabel was more than happy to go over to practice her song. Bill brought one of the guitars from the school to his apartment, telling Dipper he bought the musical instrument to help his teaching since he didn't like the one the school provided. Mabel walked with them every day, keeping the conversation light and cheerful. Bill worked with her on the song and even changed some of the lyrics to have it flow better. Dipper watched the two work and felt something pull at his heart that he didn't like. He wanted to be happy that his sister was finally going to ask out Pacifica, but couldn't help but feel envious over how easily she clicked with the professor. He kept these thoughts to himself though; he didn't fully understand why he feels this way towards his sister of all people. This feeling didn't happen while he watched the teacher help others in their classes together so he couldn't understand why he would feel this way when walking home with her with them.

Saturday came around in a flash and Mabel left to see Pacifica early, leaving Dipper in charge of picking up Bill. With Stan's permission, he took the truck over to Bill's apartment. Unfortunately, when Bill walked out, with the guitar on his back, and saw the truck, he crossed his arms and stayed out of the truck in protest.

"No," he stated to Dipper.

"Just get in," Dipper had the passenger window rolled down to talk to the professor.

"No," he stated again.

"Come on," Dipper tried to reason with him. "Their mansion is too far, I don't want to walk. Plus, walking will leave you to get seen easier." Bill stayed quiet, fighting with himself on what he should do. Dipper sighed. "Ford fixed it up, it won't break down."

The former demon groaned and gave in, getting into the passenger seat and sliding the guitar to sit in front of him. On the way to the mansion, Bill had a death grip on the door. Without thinking, Dipper reached over and started to rub Bill's leg in a comfortable manner.

"We'll get there safe," he reassured. "Please believe me."

Bill began to relax under Dipper's touch, allowing himself to close his eyes to avoid the road. "Okay," he whispered softly.

They got to the mansion with no issues, driving around the house to avoid the cameras that were threatening to show everyone in attendance. Around the back was a man dressed as a butler, waiting for them to arrive. He brought them inside and to a large ballroom with multiple other people that neither of them knew. Bill and Dipper looked at each other, feeling awkward in the huge room. Dipper wore the same thing he wore when they went out to eat a while ago, except with the black jacket over with a tie. Bill wore black slacks with a yellow button-up and black vest over and a bow-tie. Everyone in the room, however, wore classic black and white tuxedos. Looking around, Dipper noticed only women were wearing color. This caused Dipper to feel like they were being stared at, seeing that they were the only men with color on their tops.

Before they felt too out of place though, Wendy came into the room with an empty glass in her hand. She wore a black, sleeveless dress with a long slit up the side and a thick black shawl over her shoulders. Dipper grabbed Bill's wrist and started to walk towards the redhead.

"Hey Wendy," Dipper smiled to her once they got close enough. She returned the smile and waved to both of them.

"Hey guys!" she greeted, exchanging her glass with a full glass that was on being carried by one of the servers. "You're just in time! Follow me."

They followed the girl to another room where Mabel, Candy, and Pacifica were. Mabel and Pacifica were standing very close to each other, chatting happily with Candy. As soon as the men walked into the room though, Mabel stopped talking and nearly shrieked with glee.

"You came!" she cheered, trying to keep her calm as best as she could to not give away the surprise.

"That's what you wanted," Bill laughed a bit, trying to pull on his arm a bit from Dipper, who was still latched on. The brunette looked back at the blond with a concerned look on his face, not realizing he was still holding on.

"Are you going to tell me why you want him here yet?" Pacifica was pouting, obviously upset that she looked so happy to see the man.

"Yes!" Mabel looked back at the blonde girl and squeezed her hands. "I have something for you."

Pacifica watched the excited brunette girl. "Well?"

Mabel let her hands go and ran to Bill, looking at Dipper and apologizing before taking Bill's wrist from his grip. That was when it clicked to Dipper that he was still holding onto the professor and he blushed, mumbling his own apology to Bill. The group followed the two walking back into the ballroom.

At the front of the ballroom were a pair of two microphones and two mic stands. Bill sat his guitar down and helped Mabel get the stands and microphones ready for use. Dipper watched them as Pacifica stood in front of the two, covering her mouth a bit, catching on that Mabel was going to sing for her. Once they were set up, Bill brought out his guitar and nodded to Mabel when he was ready.

"Hey guys," Mabel spoke softly into the microphone, much different than the last time she sang for a crowd this big. "I worked on this for Pacifica for a while now, just made especially for her." She bit her bottom lip as Pacifica blushed, staring right at the talking brunette girl.

Mabel glanced over to Bill, signally him to start strumming. Taking a quiet breath in then out, Mabel leaned forward and started to sing, staring right into Pacifica's eyes.

 _You like New York city in the daytime_ _  
_ _I like New York city in the nighttime_ _  
_ _You say you like sleeping with the air off_ _  
_ _I don't, I need it on_ _  
_ _You like the light coming through the windows_ _  
_ _I sleep late, so I just keep 'em all closed_ _  
_ _You ignore the music on the radio_ _  
_ _I don't, I sing-a-long_

The crowd started to turn, listening to the words as Mable's voice filled the room.

 _I don't ask for you to change, baby no no no_ _  
_ _And you don't ask for me to change_

Dipper watched his sister sing but kept making glances to Bill, who was looking at the guitar, playing into the microphone.

 _Tell me how we're not alike_ _  
_ _But we work so well and we don't even know why_ _  
_ _Funny how the stars crossed right_ _  
_ _'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why_ _  
_ _You can call it fire and ice_ _  
_ _But we work so well and we don't even know why_ _  
_ _We don't even know why, no no_ _  
_ _We don't even know why, no no no_

Pacifica sniffed next to Dipper, causing him to look over confused for a moment before seeing the blonde girl tearing up.

 _Cold outside and you're just in a t-shirt_ _  
_ _I have cold blood even in a sweater_ _  
_ _You start your night sippin' by the kilo_ _  
_ _I don't, I know you know_

 _I don't ask for you to change, baby no no no_ _  
_ _And you don't ask for me to change_

Wendy and Candy were dancing with each other to the song, like the rest of the crowd. The room remained silent, letting her vocals continue filling the room.

 _Tell me how we're not alike_ _  
_ _But we work so well and we don't even know why_ _  
_ _Funny how the stars crossed right_ _  
_ _'Cause we work so well and we don't even know why_ _  
_ _You can call it fire and ice_ _  
_ _But we work so well and we don't even know why_ _  
_ _We don't even know why, no no_ _  
_ _We don't even know why, no we don't know_

 _No no no_

Mabel was into the song, swaying back and forth, and held a hand out for the blonde girl. Pacifica stepped forward and took Mabel's hand, allowing tears of happiness to escape her eyes.

 _Somehow we end up on the same side_ _  
_ _And you wouldn't think that we'd be alright_ _  
_ _Even our eyes are different colors, but we see fine_

 __ _Somehow we end up on the same side_ _  
_ _And you wouldn't think that we'd be alright_ _  
_ _Even our eyes are different colors, but we see fine_

Pacifica gave Mabel a side hug as she continued singing. Bill wore a smile on his face as he watched the two, still strumming on his guitar.

 __ _Oh, 'cause we work so well and we don't even know why_

 _Because we work so well, we don't even know why_

 _Because we work so well and we don't even know why, why_

 _No, we don't even know why, no no_

 _We don't even know, no no no no no_

 _We don't even know why_

Bill's playing started to trail off, ending the song. The room erupted in applause for the young girl. Pacifica hugged Mabel fully and pressed their lips together. This caused the room to cheer more. Bill took a step away from the girls and clapped himself, looking over to Dipper while still smiling brightly.

After the performance was wrapped up, the party continued as normal. Pacifica stayed next to Mabel the entire time, even when she had to unwrap presents. Dipper stuck himself next to Bill, not wanting to be around the new lovey-dovey couple. The new couple came up to them with drinks in their hands, giving them to both Bill and Dipper.

"I want that song recorded," Pacifica told Bill, not allowing any argument.

"You have to talk to the office about that," the former demon responded. "Only one song per student and that song doesn't qualify for her final. It costs the school money to get a song recorded."

"I don't care," she stated simply. "I'll pay for it." Before Bill could respond, Mabel held her glass up between the four.

"To Pacifica!" she cheered happily, kissing the blonde girl's cheek as everyone clinked their glasses together.

It was late when people started to depart from the mansion. Bill, who happily didn't run into anyone that recognized him, let himself enjoy the party. Although he claimed to not have had any alcohol in 5 years, he didn't turn down any alcoholic drinks that the servers were offering to the two. They cheered together before drinking each time, from getting free alcohol to the fact that cats exist. After a few hours or talking about random topics with Dipper, they both exited the main room for some fresh air. At this point, Bill had multiple drinks with Dipper and was very giggly. Dipper stopped drinking after the 3rd drink, wanting to be sober enough to drive.

Dipper was making dumb puns while they walked around the garden, causing Bill to laugh more than he's seen before. There was a small pond with stepping stones randomly sitting on top of the water, going up to a statue of the Northwest family in the middle of the water. An idea popped into Bill's mind but before he could voice it, his body was already moving toward the pond.

"Bill," Dipper called, following the tipsy professor. "What are you doing?"

Without answering, Bill jumped to one of the stepping stones. Once he landed, he nearly lost his balance but Dipper jumped into the shallow pond, catching the man before he fell in. Bill regained his balance and started to laugh full heartedly. Dipper pouted up to the man, holding his hand to keep his balance.

"What are you doing?" Dipper asked again, staring up at the other with amusement. Bill breathed in heavily, trying to stop himself from laughing but instead laughed harder. "What's so funny?"

"You," the blond let Dipper's hand go and jumped to a different stone, this time catching his balance perfectly.

Confusion flashed over the brunette's face until he realized what he was talking about. Dipper sighed and looked down to see both his feel submerged in water. He continued to trail after Bill in the water until he noticed the water getting deeper. Fear suddenly shot through Dipper as he watched the taller man hopping closer to the statue. The brunette stepped up on one of the stones and tried to follow Bill.

"Slow down!" he called, causing Bill to jump at the sudden voice and slip. He fell on his button on the stone and laughed hard, rocking side to side on his now sore butt. The man's laugh was almost music to Dipper's ears, even in this kind of situation. Dipper got to one stone behind the blond man who was breathing weirdly in an attempt to stop laughing.

Bill started to calm down enough to stand back up and continue hopping to the statue, which was just two stones away now. Once he got to his goal, he climbed the statue and sat on top of Statue Pacific's head, staring down at Dipper with a twinkle in his eyes. Dipper of course climbed and carefully climbed after the blond man.

"I doubt we're allowed here," Dipper half scolded as he plopped himself next to the former demon.

"Don't care," Bill stated simply and looked up to the sky, sighing softly as his vision still spun a bit from the alcohol.

"Of course not," Dipper chuckled and looked at him.

"I can see you!" Bill shouted suddenly, pointing excitedly to the sky. Dipper followed where he was pointing and smiled when he noticed the Big Dipper star alignment.

"Is that why you brought us here?" Dipper half-joked, shaking his head at the blond man's excitement.

"Yup!" he responded happily, not caring how loud he was being. Dipper felt his heart start to warm, looking back at Bill, not expecting the response.

"You know," he started. "You could have seen it from anywhere, not just up here."

"Don't care," Bill looked at Dipper with an emotion that the brunette couldn't read written on his face. "We can see better from here," the blond looked back up at the stars and placed his hand back to his side, sitting right on top of the other's hand.

Dipper felt his cheeks warm at the touch but didn't move his hand. They were quiet for a few moments until Bill suddenly leaned against Dipper. Almost instantly, Dipper snaked his arm around the former demon, allowing himself to be used as a pillow. Bill kept his eyes on the sky while Dipper kept his concentration on not falling. His heart was beating radically in both worry and nervousness.

"Thank you," Bill's voice was soft but slightly slurred.

"For what?" Dipper asked, allowing his thumb to caress Bill's side.

"For being with me," he looked at Dipper and smiled sweetly. Dipper was watching the blond man closely, convinced Bill could hear his heart.

"W-what ar-," Dipper cleared his throat hesitantly, feeling flustered with his face so close. "What are friends for?"

Bill continued staring at Dipper quietly for a few minutes before closing his eyes, leaning more against the younger male. Dipper held onto Bill silently, resting his chin on top of his head. Several minutes passed before they flashlights suddenly shined on them. Bill opened his eyes and shielded his face from the light.

"Hey!" a guard shouted at them. "You're not allowed up there!"

Bill smiled a bit and moved away from Dipper, turning around on the statue and away from the guard. The brunette watched as the professor pushed himself off of the statue and into the water. Panic ran through Dipper's veins until he noticed the water only going up to the other man's knees. Quickly, Dipper followed his actions and they got out of the pond as quickly as they could.

The guard continued yelling at them but was unable to catch up to the two that were running away. Bill laughed while they ran, grabbing Dipper's hand so he didn't fall behind. As they returned to the truck that was parked in the back, the former demon squeezed the brunette's hand for a moment before releasing it. As soon as they started to drive back to Bill's apartment, the blond fell asleep in his seat. Dipper glanced over to Bill throughout the drive home and couldn't get rid of the smile that was on his face, allowing himself to agree to the first thought that came to his mind.

This night was perfect.


	11. Chapter 11

Sunday morning was quiet when Dipper woke up, memories flowing back to him from the night before. He stretched and sat up to look around for his sister that wasn't there. Pulling out his phone, he noticed a few messages from his sister.

 _Mabel:_

 _10:36 PM_

 _Where did you guys go?_

 _Mabel:_

 _10:48 PM_

 _You guys left the guitar, you'll have to come back!_

 _Mabel:_

 _11:00 PM_

 _Did you go home?_

 _Mabel:_

 _11:30 PM_

 _I called Grunkle Stan and he said you were asleep in bed. Rude! Didn't even say bye!_

 _Mabel:_

 _11:35 PM_

 _I'm staying the night! See you in the morning!_

Dipper sighed and rolled his eyes at the messages, quickly typing back a response.

 _Dipper:_

 _8:15 AM_

 _Can you bring the guitar back with you?_

The brunette pushed himself out of bed and headed to the bathroom to shower. Once he was done and stepped into the Kitchen, he saw his Great Uncle Ford pacing back and forth in front of the table, where Grunkle Stan was eating pancakes. Ford's shoulders were stiff as he paced, staring at the ground with his arms over his chest and one hand under his chin. As soon as Dipper entered the room, Ford stopped pacing and stared at the smaller boy, letting out a heavy sigh of relief. Confusion crossed over Dipper's face.

"Is everything, uhh," he looked to Stan who calmly ate and watched his brother. "Okay?"

"Where were you this morning?" Ford demanded.

"In bed," he answered, feeling more confused over what his uncle was trying to say.

"No," he shook his head viciously, rubbing his face. "Around 5 AM, where were you?"

"I was asleep," Dipper wiggled his phone in front of his uncle. "Mabel said she called and Grunkle Stan said I was sleeping. That was pretty close to midnight. I've been in bed ever since."

Ford suddenly looked at Stan accusingly. Before he could say anything, Stan slammed his hand down on the table.

"I already told you that!" Stan stated, narrowing his eyes at his brother. "What is this over?"

"The seal!" Ford responded, anxiety and anger mixed in with his tone.

"What seal?" Dipper questioned, putting his phone in his pocket. Ford looked back at him and sighed, looking down.

"Where's the switchblade I gave you?" Ford asked, trying to calm himself down.

"I don't have it," the brunette's heart started to pound in his chest. "Why?"

"Where is it?" Ford questioned through his teeth.

"Why?" Dipper questioned again.

"It doesn't matter why," Ford grumbled. "Dammit, I should have made sure you had it sooner."

"Why can't you just tell me why you need it?" Dipper crossed his arms over his chest.

"I put a protection seal on it," Ford told him, staring into his eyes. "Now, where is it? Who has it?"

"What would I need a protection seal from?" Dipper couldn't help but feel anger began to fill his chest. "I'm not a child. How do you even know if I gave it to someone or not?"

"I know when it gets used," Ford explained bitterly. "I shouldn't have to explain anything, where is it?"

"I gave it to Bill," Dipper admitted. Ford stayed quiet and Stan looked up from his food.

"Why would you give that demon a weapon?!" Stan suddenly jumped in.

"He needed it," Dipper quickly explain, turning back to Ford. "What do you mean you know when it's being used?"

"That demon doesn't need anything!" Stan stands up, glaring at Dipper. "Stop showing that liar pity!"

Ford walked past Dipper, ignoring the argument that was about to break out between Stan and Dipper.

"You don't know anything about him," Dipper crossed his arms over his chest.

"I know enough to know he doesn't deserve sympathy," Stan pressed. "Why are you being friends with someone who literally tried to kill us?!"

"Because he changed!" Dipper exclaimed.

"Demons don't change!" Stan gripped his fists together in anger. "You're not allowed to protect him, get that blade back!"

Dipper stared at his Grunkle Stan hard before turning around and walking away from him silently, ignoring everything he had said. Instead, he walked where he was Ford go. He found Ford about to go down to his lab and ran up to him. Before Ford could walk into the elevator, Dipper slipped himself in front of his Great Uncle.

"What did you mean you know when the switchblade is being used?" Dipper questioned firmly, not wanting to be let off without an answer.

"Follow me," he grumbled and motioned to the elevator. Dipper stepped inside with Ford and leaned against the wall. "I gave you that knife because I knew you were going to see him."

"He's not a threat," the brunette commented quickly, staying firm on his belief that Bill didn't have plans to hurt him.

"Anyways," Ford ignored his comment. "Even if you trust him, he's not going to win everyone's trust. I put the protection seal on it to keep you safe. Just the sight of the knife can scare someone but getting cut by it?" He shook his head. The elevator door opened and he walked over to where he used to have his Bill sanctuary, Dipper following. Now, it was just filled with different computers and screens for different purposes. "The blade's cut will leave the threat's blood boiling hot until they die."

"Are you kidding me?" Dipper was disgusted at the thought. "Why would I need something that strong?"

"You just never know, okay?!" Ford snapped, narrowing his eyes at the younger male. "This is all I can do to keep you safe."

The elderly man walked up to one of the computers and turned it on, showing a map of the town with landmarks and a couple of markers on it. Three yellow dots at the shack, one at the Northwest mansion, and one red dot that was at Bill's apartment complex. This, Dipper assumed, must have been the knife's location.

"Are you tracking us?" Dipper stared at the multiple dots on the screen.

"When you came here," Ford sighed a bit. "I put a tracking device in your leg while you slept."

"What the fu-" Dipper started to narrow his eyes, feeling slightly violated.

"I don't check it every day," Ford interrupted quickly. "I only check it when I get notified that something happened."

"How do you get notified of anything?" Dipper shook his head, growing more confused as the conversation continued.

"If you guys get hurt, it will set off an alarm to my watch," Ford showed the gadget to the younger male. "If that blade gets used, a different alarm will go off."

"Does the knife have a tracker in it?" Dipper asked, trying to understand the information being told to him.

"No," he shook his head. "It only marks where the weapon was used, not at all times."

"So, do you think Bill used it?" Dipper asked, staring back at the screen.

"He had to have," Ford explained. "I wouldn't have gotten the alert if it was just opened for a threat. The seal has to be threatened in order to give off this alert. Therefore, it had to have been used to stab another human."

"Then I need to go see him," Dipper turned around immediately and started to walk towards the elevator.

"Dipper, wait," Ford called to him, digging through a drawer. Dipper stopped walking and looked back at his uncle. He watched Ford grab a syringe, unopened and large needle, and a small circle device in a plastic bag. "If you're going to be around Bill, put this in him. I want to keep an eye on him."

"Why?" Dipper asked, not moving closer to his uncle.

"Because a demon turning into a human is not normal," he grumbled, walking closer to the younger man to hand him the items. "It's unusual. If he's fully human, this won't hurt him. It connects to the nervous system and veins. If he gets hurts physically, I will get alerted. If he's still a demon, this will probably kill him. Even if it's a shell, the nervous system won't work like a regular human and it'll make his blood freeze if he is still a demon."

"Are you kidding me?!" Dipper snapped. "You want to risk _killing_ him?!"

"If he's human like you said," Ford narrowed his eyes a bit. "Then it will be _fine._ "

Dipper stayed quiet for a moment, staring at the syringe and other items in Ford's hands. This was his official chance to see if Bill was actually telling the truth or not.

"And if he says no?" he questioned.

"Then he's lying," Ford answered. "I'm sure Stan will lighten up if he lives with this in his leg."

"Fine," Dipper gave in, stepping closer to his great uncle and took the items from his hands. "But I'm letting him keep the knife, even if he doesn't let me."

"Fine," Ford turned back to the screen, watching Mabel's dot start to move very slowly. "Please remember I did this for your guy's safety. You can't trust this town completely, not with everything that lives here."

Dipper nodded but didn't respond, leaving the room within a matter of minutes. He hurried back to his room and pulled his phone out to call Mabel, who answered upon the first ring.

"What's up bro-bro?" Mabel greeted. "I got the guitar, don't worry."

"How long until you're home?" he asked quickly.

"I'm on my way, what's up?"

"I'll explain later," he placed the items from Ford into a bag. "Can you meet me at Bill's house?"

"Yeah," Mabel didn't sound confused but she did sound a little worried. "Is everything okay?"

"I don't know yet," he admitted. "I'll see you soon."

Dipper left the Shack as quickly as he could, calling Bill on his way to his apartment. Unfortunately, there was no answer. Anxiety kicked in after more and more calls go unanswered. As he got closer to the apartment, the brunette noticed a few police officer cars and some tape around part of the complex. Panic set it and Dipper broke out into a run. Before he could get closer, a police officer suddenly stopped him.

"Sir, you can't go in there," the officer stated.

"What's going on?" Dipper demanded.

"Please stay back," the officer ignored the question, pushing the boy back a bit. "This is an investigation right now, please stay back."

"Please," Dipper pleaded, staring at the officer. "What happened?"

"Is there somebody you know that lives here?" the officer asked.

"Y-yes," he nodded. "Apartment F-27, I believe. His name is Bill, is he in there?"

"A man named William was taken to the hospital an hour ago," the officer explained. "Is that who you're talking about?"

The boy gasped softly, widening his eyes a bit at the officer. Before he could respond, he heard a car halt in a hurry close to them. The stunned brunette looked over to see his sister exit the vehicle, looking worried.

"Dipper!" she called over to him. Dipper quickly thanked the officer and ran towards her, his heart pounding through his ears.

"We have to go to the hospital!" he called back to her. Mabel didn't ask questions and got back into the car, scooting over so her brother can get inside as well.

Dipper jumped in and placed his bag carefully at his feet while Pacifica commanded the driver to head towards the hospital. On the way there, panic set into Dipper's mind.

"What happened?" Mabel asked voice laced with concern and worry.

"I-I don't know," Dipper gasped a little bit, trying to calm his beating heart down. He explained the events from the shack that morning, explaining the best way he could about the tracking devices along with the weapon that was gifted to Dipper then gifted to Bill. Mabel had an arm rubbing her brother's back as he spoke, trying to calm his nerves from the events.

They arrived at the hospital within minutes after leaving the scene. Pacifica stayed in the car as Dipper and Mabel ran into the hospital and got Bill's room number. The boy was flying down the halls as fast as he could without running with Mabel trailing behind him. Once at the room, they walked in quickly to see Bill lying on the hospital bed. He was somewhat awake but had bruises all around his throat and gauze wrapped around his head, the side of it already drenching in blood. Hands clasped over twin's mouths as they stared at the professor. What could have possibly done this? And why?

Once they entered the room, Bill moved his head towards the entrance and squinted at the two that walked into the room. They went to either side of the bed and Dipper's eyes filled with tears. Mabel hugged herself as she inched closer to the injured man.

"Oh my God… ?" Dipper whispered to the blond man, who still hasn't said anything.

Bill stared up at Dipper for a few minutes, looking very dazed as he searched the other's face. Dipper stared down at the man, watching the glossy honey eyes dance over his face. There was something that caught Dipper's eye, a dark dot that he hasn't seen before. Right in the color of the iris. The brunette quickly brushed it off, convinced he probably just hasn't noticed it before.

"Bill?" Mabel spoke softly. The former demon looked over towards her voice. "Are you okay?"

Slowly, Bill nodded. He looked back in front of himself, sliding his eyes shut.

"Can you talk?" Dipper asked quietly.

Bill opened his eyes again slowly and opened his mouth, speaking very softly.

"Three men," he whispered softly, moving a hand to massage his neck a bit. "They broke in. Guard both our doors, attacked when I opened my door." He grimaced at the memory. "I had the blade with me, but they hit me with something and choked me out, I was only able to stab one. Andrew called the police. They stopped them. A minute more and I would have died."

Mabel took a step back and began to wipe the tears in her eyes away. Dipper let his tears fall on his face, only wiping them after a few moments to let the information set in. Bill's hands were suddenly enveloped in each of the twin's hands, both wanting to sooth the professor from the experience.

"How long are you going to stay here for?" Mabel asked, sniffling and wiping away her tears. "What happened to your head?"

Bill shrugged slowly. "They already did some things. I need to be at work, there are only a few more days until break."

"I doubt you have to worry about that now," Dipper shook his head. "You could have died, please, they can find a different teacher to finish the recordings."

Bill sighed softly and closed his eyes. "I don't want to let them down."

"If they knew why," Mabel chimed in, looking back at her brother then back to Bill. "They will understand."

"Take care of yourself," Dipper nearly demanded before Bill could argue back. Bill opened his eyes and looked between the two twins.

"I just want to go home," his voice grew softer.

Dipper sat on the edge of the bed and looked to Mabel. "Tell Pacifica to bring his guitar in." Mabel quickly pulled out her phone and send the message to her new girlfriend. "We'll stay with you until you get released, okay?" Dipper reached out and caressed Bill's shoulder. "We'll make it feel like home."

Bill watched the twins as they stood up and left the room for just a brief moment. Dipper came back in with a chair, explaining Mabel went to show Pacifica the way to the room. With the extra chair, there was enough seating for the three adults to be around the former demon.

"Wait," he called softly to the brunette boy, sitting up a bit in his bed. Dipper sat down, smiling softly to the blond and placing his bag on the ground. "You don't have to stay, I know hospitals are boring. Plus, someone else could be brought into this room, I don't think they'll leave it for just us."

"If that happens, we'll stop," Dipper simply stated. "I'm not going to leave my friend in here, bored and alone in a hospital."

Bill lied back onto the bed and stared at Dipper

His eyes teared up a bit as he watched the two girl walk into the room with the guitar in the blonde girl's hand. The girls sat on his left while Dipper sat to his right, positioning the chair so he could be facing Bill.

"Okay," Pacifica set the guitar up in the same position Dipper's seen other guitarists do. "I started to learn how to play this last summer so you better love it."

Bill blinked the tears away and allowed himself to smile a bit. The girl started to strum at the guitar and the two girls started singing different lullabies and songs together. The room was filled with music when the nurse entered the room, smiling sweetly to the trio surrounding the injured man.

"Good morning," she greeted. "I'm happy to see Mr. Cipher finally have some company for a change." She winked at Bill and smiled more. "I wanted to thank Mr. Cipher for his wait while we get the test result back. It'll take another hour for the CT scan results but your blood work came back as normal. Unfortunately, though, your attacker isn't having as good of news. You may need to answer to some police officers about what happened this morning. Are you okay with this?"

"Is Andrew here?" Bill asked.

"Yes," the nurse nodded. "He will be speaking with the police as well."

"Okay, thank you," he said, looking back at Dipper. The brunette rested his hand on the blond man's shoulder and rubbed his thumb against it to comfort him.

Once the nurse exited the room, Dipper took his bag off of the ground and opened it.

"I need to tell you something," he started, getting the items out of the bag. Bill watched the brunette and stared at the equipment with curiosity. "This morning, Great Uncle Ford asked me where the switchblade was. He said there is a protection seal that was on it and it notifies him if it's been used. He told me it was used this morning, which lead us here."

"I had a feeling," Bill admitted. "There were so many times these last few weeks where I could have and should have been dead. I had a feeling something was stopping that. My guess was that blade you gave me." He shook his head and chuckled a bit.

"That's not all though," Dipper motioned the items to Bill. "He also said he implanted a tracking device inside Mabel and me to get alerted whenever we end up in danger. I'm not really sure why he wants to but he wants me to place one inside of you." Bill furrowed his eyebrows a bit and started shaking his head. "I know it sounds bad, but it's a way we can prove to them you're telling the truth."

"How would putting a tracking device for people that want to kill me be in any way telling them the truth about anything?" Bill questioned, shaking his head more. "That's a death sentence."

"It'll prove you're human," Dipper explained. "It won't work on demons, it'll only work on humans. That means if it works, you will be proving to them you're not a demon anymore. They won't try to hurt you."

"And if it doesn't work?" Bill almost spat. Dipper paused for a moment, unsure of how he originally thought Bill would react. He didn't want to tell the truth about how he could die, but he also didn't want to just trick him into going through with it.

"Why wouldn't it?" Dipper chose to persuade him, his only attempt before just telling the truth on what the device would do if he wasn't fully human. "You told me yourself that you're human so this will work. I trust you."

"Why do you need that for me to prove it then?" the former demon sounded almost scared, as if he wasn't 100% sure if he was actually human or not as well.

"I don't," he admitted. "But they do. I want them to help if something goes terribly wrong and if this is the only way, I wanted to ask you." Bill stayed quiet for a moment, searching for an answer on Dipper's face. "It's up to you."

Bill was quiet for a few minutes before closing his eyes and sighing. "Fine."

Dipper perked up and nervously began putting the item together. Before taking the new needle out of the pouch, he stood up and washed his hands. Pacifica instructed him to wear gloves then he sat near Bill's right leg. Breathing softly, Dipper grabbed the device and finished putting it together. Bill looked towards the chair Dipper had previously sat in and closed his eyes.

The insertion took a matter of seconds and when Dipper pulled away, he looked at Bill and waited. The three of them waited for a few moments before Bill opened his eyes and looked at the trio. He furrowed his eyebrows a bit in confusion.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" he questioned, looking over to Dipper who had suddenly sighed heavily in relief. Next thing he knew, Mabel was also sighing in relief as well.

"You're telling the truth," Dipper rubbed the area that the device had been inserted to and leaned his head on the area.


	12. Chapter 12

The hospital held Bill at the hospital for a couple of days after his arrival. Andrew notified the school of the events from Sunday morning and they were quick to have a different music theory professor take over the remaining recordings that needed to be done. This delayed any announcements or in-class performances that Bill had planned before the break. Dipper was one of the last students to get their songs recorded while some other students, that were done with their recordings, were released for the break. Since there wasn't a second teacher for the writing class, Andrew gave the students an exam that surrounded everything they learned so far along with a few stories they had to go through and correct themselves before they were released for the break. Every day after his classes were over, Dipper made his way back to the hospital to spend the rest of the afternoon with Bill. Only leaving when visiting hours were over.

The interviews with the police were stressful on Bill, but he had claimed to have installed security cameras at the end of the hall due to the last home invasion he had. The police collected the footage and any evidence in the apartment, forcing the hospital to hold onto the man until their investigation was completed. With one of the robbers passing away, their family wanted a full investigation to see if they could charge the blond man with manslaughter. It would take a few weeks to go through all of their evidence but the footage from the apartment was the only thing keeping Bill from being held in a jailhouse instead of the hospital.

Since Dipper had been visiting a lot, he was the first one to offer to take Bill home once they were on the discussion of him being discharged. Much to his family's disappointment, Dipper announced he would be spending the holiday with the former demon. After Ford was able to confirm the blond man was, in fact, human, he had to explain to Stan the boy was telling the truth. Stan still was determined that it was all lies but that didn't stop Dipper from making his bold statement. He did promise to cook the family a big breakfast before leaving though.

Around 8 AM, Dipper showered and dressed. He wore a blue short-sleeved shirt with a black cardigan and dark jeans with dress shoes. Before leaving the room, his eyes landed on his old hat from all those years ago. Wendy and he switched back hats, both kind of missing the old clothing article. Dipper grabbed the hat then headed to the door, placing the hat on top of his head as he headed downstairs. The smell of turkey filled his nose as he got close to the kitchen. Mabel had been awake since early that morning, wanting to finish both turkeys in time. The day before, Dipper had asked his sister to cook a separate turkey so he could surprise Bill with the food for when he would be released. A smile grew on his face when he says his sister working on the turkey before closing the over again.

"Happy Thanksgiving," he called, walking up to her. Mabel turned and smiled brightly. She wore black leggings with a brown, long-sleeved dress over and short boot heels.

"Good morning!" she giggled, putting the oven mitts down. "Happy Thanksgiving to you too, handsome." Her eyes traveled up and down her brother. "Looks like you're trying to impress him!" Dipper blushed a bit and shook his head.

"No," his heart began racing in his chest at the thought of Bill being impressed with his appearance. "It's just for the holiday."

"Whatever," Mabel rolled her eyes and stepped aside. Dipper began to take some eggs out along with some other items to make breakfast. "You know Grunkle Stan is hoping you'll change your mind."

Dipper sighed and shook his head. "If he would let me, I would bring him here," he looked at his sister with his brows furrowed a bit. "He knows he's human but he still doesn't trust him."

Mabel shrugged a bit and sat up on the counter, leaning back against the cabinets. "You both are stuck in what you want," she sighed as well. "I support you going but don't make this a yearly thing, okay?"

Dipper rolled his eyes and started to make pancakes. "How's it going with your new girlfriend?"

Mabel blushed and gave her brother a wide smile. "She's _wonderful,_ " she giggled, all jittery at the thought of the blond girl. "She started writing of music. She's thinking about attending Bill's class next school semester."

"That'll be fun," Dipper commented, placing hash browns on a new frying pan next to the bacon. "Are you getting that song recorded?"

"The school said only when it's during break," she answered and hopped off the counter, pulling down a few serving plates for the cooked food. "It's crazy expensive, I don't understand how she's so okay with spending that much just on a track."

"It's probably just pocket change to them," Dipper smirked at his own bad joke.

"True," she pouted, watching her brother start to pile up the food on the plates. "Plus, it's her _birthday song_. I'm sure anyone would want their special song recorded if they could." Mabel smirked a bit. "Especially if it's by the wonderful Mabel Pines."

"Of course," Dipper chuckled and rolled his eyes.

They continue to chat while breakfast was being cooked. Their Grunkles stumbled into the kitchen about a half hour later and took their seats at the table. Mabel helped Dipper set up the table, giving everyone their own plates, silverware, coffee cups, and napkins. The food was carefully placed on the table in the order of completion. Once all four of them were at the table, Dipper across from Ford while Mabel was across from Stan, they began to dig in. Before Dipper could start eating though, he had something to say to Stan, especially after not even saying anything to him yet this morning.

"Grunkle Stan," Dipper started, earning the attention of the elderly man. "I am very thankful for you. Both you and Great Uncle Ford." He glanced at Ford who was smiling sweetly to him. Looking back at Stan, Dipper continued. "Thank you for everything. I'm sorry if my decision for tonight disappoints you."

"I'm not disappointed in you, kid," Stan grumbled and looked back to his food. "I'm just hurt." Dipper felt a pang of guilt in his chest at those words.

"Stan," Ford started to speak but was hushed by a look Stan gave his brother.

"But," Stan looked at Dipper with a calm expression. "I guess I can see why you want to. Go ahead, kid. We'll be here when you get back."

Dipper's eyes teared up a little bit as he smiled at his Grunkle, feeling the guilt start to fade a bit. "Thank you," he spoke softly.

"Now wipe that face of yours," Stan turned his attention back to the food and continued to eat. Dipper did as he said and began eating, chuckling softly.

"What time did you start the turkey?" Ford asked Mabel, motioning towards the turned on oven. "Isn't it a little early?"

"I'm making two," she explained quickly, mouth full of food. She swallowed before continuing. "The sizes we got only take 4 hours, so I started the first at 6 AM this morning. The other is getting put in right away after."

They fell into a comfortable conversation while they continued eating. Once everyone was finished, Dipper washed the dishes and cleaned the table. The first turkey finished and Mabel placed the second inside. Together, the twins prepared the turkey in a carrying container for the travel. Stan allowed Dipper to borrow the truck for the day, making the third day that he would have to try to convince Bill to ride in. Around 10:40 AM, Dipper said his good-byes to his family and headed off to the hospital.

For being a holiday, the hospital was pretty empty. Dipper couldn't help but feel a little sad over the fact. There were still many patients that were left in the hospital for days, even spending holidays without family. Dipper made his way to Bill's room, the food left in the truck. Dipper was wearing a scarf and a thick jacket due to the cold weather outside. Once at the respected room, the brunette saw Bill already dressed in the clothes he came in, ready to leave. As soon as Dipper entered the room, Bill smiled and stood up immediately.

"Pine Tree," he greeted while smiling. "You made it!"

"Of course I did," Dipper chuckled.

"Haven't seen that in a while," Bill commented, walking up to the brunette while staring at the hat on his head.

"Wendy and I traded hats when we were kids," the brunette bowed his head a bit, showing the pine tree to Bill more. "I just got it back."

"It suits you," the former demon commented, tracing the tree with his fingers.

"Do we have to do anything or can we just leave?" Dipper asked, trying to keep focus on leaving.

"No," Bill shook his head. "I already took care of it. I was discharged an hour ago, you technically didn't even need to come. I told you that."

"Looks like it slipped my mind," Dipper smirked and grabbed Bill's guitar case that was left by Pacifica from their first visit. Truthfully, Dipper knew he didn't have to come to get him but wanted an excuse to give him company. "Now, come on. I have the truck waiting out front."

Bill frowned and crossed his arms over his chest. "Seriously, Pine Tree?" he scowled.

"What is it now?" Dipper started to walk to the exit, assuming the man would follow.

"I can just walk home, you know," Bill followed Dipper, sounding annoyed. "What happened to that one and only time? You already made me ride a second time. Third time's the charm, right?"

Dipper sighed and stopped walking in the middle of the hallway to the elevator. "Yes, third time is the charm," he stared into Bill's eyes. Bill stared back at him with a look of determination. "If nothing happens again with being in a car, can't you try to trust cars again?" Bill shook his head silently. Dipper sighed and with his free hand, grabbed one of the blond man's hands. "Then trust me," Dipper pleaded, pulling him to the elevator.

Bill stayed silent until they exited the building and got to the truck. Dipper opened the passenger door and waited. They stared at each other for a few moments until Bill saw the container that held the turkey sitting on the passenger seat. The former demon looked at the container with a confused expression on his face.

"What is that?" he asked suspiciously.

"Turkey," Dipper smiled sweetly to Bill as his confused expression worsened.

"Why is there a turkey in the truck?" he looked back at the brunette with his head slightly tilted and his eyebrows furrowed.

"It's Thanksgiving," Dipper stated simply. "Now, please get it so we can eat it later for dinner."

"You're coming over?" Bill widened his eyes a bit. "What about your family?"

"They understand why I want to," shrugging a bit, Dipper motioned towards the seat again. "Can we go?"

Bill sighed and stared at the seat for a few more minutes before climbing in. Dipper slipped into the driver's seat and turned the car on. On the way to the apartment, Bill stared at the container with the turkey.

"You didn't have to," he mumbled under his breath.

"What was that?" Dipper asked, glancing over to the blond for a moment.

"Why?" Bill asked a little higher.

"Do you want to be alone," Dipper thought for a moment. "Technically with Andrew, alone, on Thanksgiving?"

"I've done it before," he explained softly, eyes dropping to the floor.

"Do you want to spend Thanksgiving with me?" Dipper asked carefully.

Bill's jaw trembled for a moment before he cleared his throat. "I wouldn't mind at all," he admitted.

"Then don't question it," the brunette gave him a smile.

The truck went silent for a few moments before Dipper heard a small "thank you" coming from the other man.

Once they arrived at the apartment complex, they parked and went inside. Bill placed the guitar in the living room while Dipper placed the turkey in the fridge. While the fridge was opened, Dipper looked at the contents for a few moments before closing it and turning to the blond.

"I'm going to run to the store," he told him. "What do you want to drink? Soda? Beer?"

"I have some wine," Bill suggested. "It was gifted to me from one of the other professors, but it isn't opened. What are you going to get at the store? I can give you some money." Bill pulled his wallet out of his pocket and pulled out some bills to hand over.

"Just a few more things for dinner before the stores close," Dipper accepted the money, knowing it would help get better quality items. "We can use one of your vegetable trays but I want to get an extra side and dessert. Are you willing to take shots?"

Bill raised an eyebrow to the younger male. "Trying to get me drunk?"

Dipper chuckled. "Maybe," he shrugged and walked towards the door. "I'll be back."

"Andrew will be here," Bill told Dipper before he closed the door. "So make sure you get enough for him too."

"Why do you care about him so much?" Dipper questioned, thinking back to the times when Andrew just watched him get hurt to the night in the forest.

"Karma is a bitch," he shrugged. "Good karma is easier to give."

"You're way to nice to him but okay," Dipper shrugged. "Whatever you say. I'll be back."

Dipper returned after about an hour and walked into the apartment without walking. There was a small table set up in between the kitchen and the living room. A black table cloth sat on top with two plates and two wine glasses along with two regular cups. Bill was sitting on the couch, hair wet from a shower. He wore a black shirt with a yellow with a yellow sweater vest over. His pants were black and tight, with black socks but no shoes. Dipper bought already-made potato salad, a six-pack of Corona, a bottle of Grand Marnier, and a large pumpkin pie. Bill shot up when Dipper walked in and helped him take the items to the counter.

"You won't believe how long those lines were," Dipper huffed, placing the alcohol contents and plastic shot glasses on the counter next to the wine bottle that was already brought down.

"Oh geese," Bill snickers a bit, staring at the bottle of alcohol. "I haven't had hard alcohol in so many years."

"What made you stop drinking?" Dipper asked curiously, placing the pie and salad in the fridge as best as he could.

"Do you _really_ want to get into _that_ right now?" Bill rose his eyebrow, staring at the brunette curiously.

"Do you mind if we do?" Dipper straightened up and walked closer to the blond as he placed the bottle back down. Bill stayed quiet for a moment then grabbed one of the beers.

"Let me drink one of these and we will," he mumbled. Dipper pulled out his keys and used the car key to pop the beer opened. He grabbed one for himself then cheered Bill before taking his first sip.

Bill moved away from the counter and walked towards the hall. Dipper follows curiously, placing his jacket and scarf on the couch, and watched Bill open the first door on the right wall, slipping inside but leaving the door opened for the brunette. At the sight of the invitation into the private area, Dipper felt his heart start to race a bit. His knees felt like they were shaking when they walked into the room. The room wasn't too big but it was very neat. The walls were white, the closet covered the entire left wall when walking in. There was a computer desk with a single chair in front of it. Next to the desk was a simple queen sized mattress, next was a regular nightstand with an interesting triangle-shaped lamp.

"For someone who had a horrific living room," Dipper looked around the room, taking in the clean sight. "You have a spotless room."

"Oh please," he rolled his eyes and sat down at his chair to his desk. "I cleaned it after we were done with the living room. It wasn't this clean before."

"What's making you keep up on cleaning all the sudden?" Dipper questioned aloud.

"You," Bill answered almost automatically. The former demon looked down for a moment and grumbled lowly for a moment. Dipper felt himself smile at the flustered looking man.

"Really now?" he chuckled a bit.

"I-I," Bill hesitated, crossing his legs. Clearing his throat he continued, "Had a feeling that you were going to, you know, come around more."

"Sounds like you want me around more," he commented, teasing the blond.

"Don't look that far into it, Pine Tree," Bill took a sip from his beer. "Anyways, we were talking about something else."

"That's right," Dipper nodded and walked towards the bed and sat down. "Drinking."

"When I was put here," he started, adjusting his chair to face Dipper. "I joined a homeless center as I said before. I didn't get accepted in the first shelter because something about my age, I was apparently too young. The second home accepted me, thankfully. They helped me get my GED to start applying for work. Meanwhile, I begged out on the streets. People start to recognize you after a while. I had strangers buying my alcohol, I didn't even have to get it myself. But every night that I got drunk, I got robbed of whatever was with me other than the clothes on my back. When I got a job, it just because easier to get it. If you knew where to go, they just assumed I was of age and never carded me. I could afford to go to bars, clubs, raves, almost anywhere I wanted to go."

"Did you do drugs?" Dipper asked, still sipping on his beer. "I hear the raves always have drugs."

Bill nodded, taking a long sip from the beer. "You name it, I did it." Dipper widened his eyes.

"Seriously?" Dipper's jaw dropped a bit. Bill chuckled softly at the boy's reaction.

"Harder ones I did at random people's houses," he nodded.

"What helped you stop those?" Dipper questioned, astonished at the information.

Bill sighed a bit then stood up, placing his drink on his desk and walked to his closet, opening it and pulling out a box from the top of the closet. He came back and sat down, placing the box on the bed next to the brunette. Dipper opened the box and looked at the contents with a concerned expression on his face. Bill's expression was emotionless, just staring off from the items as if they weren't actually there.

"I got kidnapped," he admitted. Dipper's eyes widened and he picked up a copy of a few articles about the blond, 19-year-old that has been missing from 1 day up until 4 days with a photo of a younger looking photo of Bill attached for each one. Dipper continued looking through the boxes, scanning through the paperwork of the police report from him being found. Photos of the vehicle were in the box as well, showing the broken down car with needles and broken glass everywhere.

"What happened?" Dipper looked up to Bill slowly.

"One of the people I was offered to go have fun with," he started, rubbing his left arm a bit. "They laced weed with something I hadn't done yet, without letting me know. Whatever it was made me faint. When I woke up, I was in the trunk of a car. I had needle marks all up and down my arms that weren't there before, my head was bleeding, I had a blistering migraine, and I was tied up. When they pulled me out of the car, they tried to drag me to a building. Other people were there but no one cared, they were just all watching. I don't know how many days it's been, I don't know where I am, I don't know who these people are, but I did know that I had to get away. Luckily, they didn't tie my feet so I tried to run. I wasn't successful and they would burn me with shit every time I tried."

"What did they want?" Dipper felt horrified at the story. Bill sighed and took another long sip before continuing.

"They were giving me really high doses of different kinds of drugs," he looked at the box then up into Dipper's eyes. "They were trying to kill us," there was a numbness tone in his voice. His eyes were cold, empty almost. "I've seen evil, I've been evil, I've _never_ done the things that I've seen done in that house. I was in a room full of females that were abused and raped every day. They consistently told me that if it weren't for them not being into men, they would ha-" Bill's pupils dilated randomly, causing him to pause and fall back into the chair, eyes dropping to the ground. Dipper put the papers back inside the box and grabbed one of Bill's hand, trying to sooth him.

"You don't have to talk about it," he spoke gently, not wanting to hurt the blond. Bill's eyes flickered back and forth for a moment before he blinked and looked at Dipper. The brunette stared back and noticed the dot again that he had seen again. "We can talk about something else."

"It's okay," Bill spoke quietly. "Forgive me, I'm not used to how emotional human minds can be. It's hard to stay away from the emotions."

"Emotions are everything humans are," Dipper commented. "It's a traumatic experience, I would be shocked if you were fine." Bill sighed slowly. "How did you get away?"

"I pretended to seduce one of the guards," his eyes dropped to the floor. "I bit their penis." Dipper bit back a snicker. "Fucker had it coming. I got the key and got myself out. Found the car and got out. Apparently, there was a spare on the keys the guy had so I was lucky. I wasn't given food or water so I fainted at the wheel and crashed into a pole after I entered the town. Then someone called the police and they found out who I was."

"Where were you?" Dipper asked.

"I don't remember the town name," he admitted. "But I do remember it was a 4 hour train ride back to Portland." Bill finished off his beer and Dipper "Detoxing was hell," he shook his head, grimacing. "Didn't touch anything after that for a long time."

"Do you do anything now?" Dipper pulled his hand back to his own lap and drinking more.

"Other than the occasional weed sesh," Bill chuckled a bit. "No. I don't smoke with anyone else, can't trust it."

"Do you grow yourself then?" the brunette asked, genuinely interested.

"Yup," Bill nodded. "Just one right now and it's approved by the complex so I figured why not."

"I'm shocked they approved it," Dipper admitted.

"It's the only reason I chose this one," he shrugged. "I just had to put a higher deposit down which I was okay with." Bill stood from his spot and grabbed the box, placing it back in its home before turning back to Dipper. "I'm going to get another."

Dipper stood up and followed the former demon into the kitchen, watching the glass bottle get tossed and retrieved a new bottle. The brunette pull the key out and opened the new bottle for the blond, who turned and headed to sit on the couch. Dipper killed the rest of his own bottle and popped open a new bottle for himself before following in Bill's footsteps.

They lounged around for a little while talking about random topics about what they did in college. Once Dinner came around, the boys took the food out and prepared their respected plates and sat at the table together. They used a vegetable tray that Bill had in his fridge for the dinner as well. Before Bill sat down though, he took a plate with an opened beer to Andrew. Once he sat back down, the former demon opened the wine and filled their glasses.

"Is this how your Thanksgivings have been with him?" Dipper asked, watching the other fill his glass.

"Yeah," he nodded. "He's lucky enough not to have to deal with human emotions or karma. So he just knocks out when he's not needed. He's a puppet."

"I see," Dipper looked down at the food and hesitated before starting to eat. Bill took a sip of his wine and looked at Dipper with his eyes slightly glossed over. The brunette couldn't help but stare into his eyes, feeling like he was getting pulled in.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Pine Tree," Bill's voice was warm, filled with as much honey his eyes had. At this moment, only one thought ran through Dipper's mind.

 _Beautiful._

Dipper looked down almost immediately at the thought, feeling himself blush a bit. He heard Bill laugh fill the air, warming his heart.

"Careful, you might end up being the face for ketchup advertisements with that red face," Bill joked with the brunette, causing his blush to deepen. Dipper pouted and held his wine glass up, trying to ignore the comments.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Bill," Dipper held his glass out for a toast. Bill picked up his glass and cheered the boy for a second time that day.

"So, question," Dipper began, starting to eat. Bill began eating as well and hummed. "Have you ever been in a relationship?"

Bill shook his head quickly and swallowed. "Hell no," he firmly stated.

"Why not?" Dipper asked sweetly.

"Think about it, kid," Bill paused from eating and stared at the other man. "Why would I want to get attached to another flesh bag and let these stupid emotions take over and spill about my life torturing people for trillions of years. They would either believe it and be scared of me or not believe it and think I'm absolutely crazy."

"Okay," Dipper shrugged. "You made your point. Did you at least hook up with people when you were going to clubs?"

Bill groaned a bit, trying to get back to eating. "If your actual question is if I'm a virgin, the answer is yes I am," he stated kind of quickly, digging into the food again.

Dipper stayed quiet for a moment, feeling his cheeks heat up. "Sorry," he mumbled. "I didn't think you would be honestly."

"Why?" Bill rolled his eyes, drinking more. "Do I look like a slut to you?"

"Totally," Dipper responded sarcastically, rolling his eyes.

Bill laughed a bit at this and shook his head. "What about you?"

"What about me?" Dipper asked back, going back to eating.

"Have you been in a relationship?" Bill asked as he ate.

"Yeah," Dipper shrugged a bit. "But I never slept with anyone. Got close but they didn't want to so we didn't."

"How respectful," Bill nodded. "What happened?"

Dipper sighed a bit. "She hated everything that made me who I was. It made me hate what I loved. So once she left me, I changed careers."

"You shouldn't let someone have the power over you," Bill commented. "What was it you wanted to be? Didn't you want a ghost hunting show?"

"Ye-" Dipper stopped and furrowed his eyebrows. "Wait, how did you know that?"

"Not important," Bill brushed the question off. "If you still want to do it, go for it. What's the worst that could happen?"

"Too many answers for that," Dipper shook his head and focused on his food. "I want to write a book now, so I'm going to stick with that. I'll get to combine what I've learned about this town with my favorite thing to do at home; read."

"I still say you should go for it," Bill shrugged. "I'll read your book though."

"You will?" the brunette looked up at the blond man and smiled brightly.

"Of course," the former demon returned the smile and continued drinking his wine.

The two continued to chat throughout eating, opening up more about the different jobs Bill had done before he began teaching. Once dinner was done, they poured themselves a shots worth amount of the Grand Marnier in glass cups, having an extra glass of water to prevent either of them drinking too much. At this point, Bill was pretty tipsy and being more sappy than normal. Dipper was tipsy as well but didn't really plan on drinking much of the alcohol that was just poured in the new glass.

They watched a random movie together, although it was mainly filled with Bill talking over the movie about things wrong. Dipper didn't mind though, he couldn't help but love the way the man's voice sounded in his ears. Bill was half way done with the shot before he placed the up next to Dipper's untouched glass and yawned, shaking his head a bit.

"I need to lay down," he moved to stand. Dipper helped the blond up and turned the TV off. They made their way to Bill's bedroom and allowed the blond to fall on the mattress.

This was where Dipper didn't plan much. His head was still spinning, so he wasn't sober enough to drive, meaning he would have to stay the night. Embarrassment filled his chest at the realization that he never even asked. Dipper fiddled with his cardigan before looking back to Bill. The blond man was slowly making it out of his pants, not caring the other boy was in the room still. After his pants were removed, he pushed himself to sit up and looked over to Dipper.

"You coming to bed?" he asked sleepily, his words slurred from the alcohol. Dipper felt a little shocked at the question, not expecting Bill to have already assume that he would have to stay.

"I-I don't have sleep clothes," Dipper stumbled on his words, knowing they didn't really make sense in the way they were spoken.

Bill chucked at the bad grammar. "I sleep in my boxers. If you're weird about that, there are sweats in the closet in the organizer," he explained while yawning and removing his shirt.

Dipper turned away from the blond man, feeling incredibly shy from seeing the man's bare chest. He retrieved the sweats and changed in the restroom, washing his face before going back into the bedroom. By the time he returned, Bill was already curled up on the left side of the bed, his back towards the door. Hesitantly, Dipper slid into the bed behind Bill and turned to have his back facing him as well.

He lied there for what feels like hours, listening to his beating heart and buzzing head. Being this close to a nearly _naked_ Bill wasn't how he expected that night to end up being. The thought of sleeping on the couch was tempting, at least to try to get air to calm his beating heart. Before he actually could go through with his plan to lay on the couch though, Dipper felt pressure around his waist. The brunettes eyes went wide as he looked down. Due to not being able to sleep, his eyes were already adjusted to the dark. So, he was capable of seeing Bill's arm lazily tossed around him. Slowly, Dipper tried to move forward, only to get jerked back by the attached arm.

The closeness of their bodies were now something Dipper's heart was about to burst out of his chest for. He did a few breathing exercises silently, trying to calm himself down. After a little while of being held, the brunette felt his mind start to wonder off. His heart began to calm down and allowed his body to settle against the body heat. Sleep finally taking over.


	13. Chapter 13

Sunlight shined through the blinds from the window in the room onto Dipper's sleeping face, causing him to stir. Pressure remained on his side from the arm that was lazily tossed over him the night before. Dipper moved his legs a bit and turned onto his back, the strong arm lied stiffly as he moved and remained across the brunette's stomach once he got to his back. His eyes flickered opened and were met with a lightly lit ceiling. Memories from the night before came rushing back, remembering how nervous he was sleeping next to the blond man to being suddenly held. Dipper's eyes fell on Bill's sleeping form, their faces just inches apart. His heart began to beat quickly again while his eyes glided over the other's features. Bill's blond hair scattered across his eyes and forehead. Dipper bit his bottom lip and hesitantly pushed his luck by pressing his head against the former demon's. While his heart pumped hard in his chest, Dipper allowed his eyes to close again and settle back against the blond man. He knew these weren't on purpose, he couldn't help but enjoy the light bussing in his head along with the warmth. Bill's scent engulfed Dipper, making him ever so tempted to cuddle back against him. Hold him like this is his only chance. The urge was strong but Dipper managed to keep his arms to himself and allowed himself to have his time to admire the view. He didn't understand the feeling, it wasn't anything he's ever experienced. Instead of trying to label the emotion, he closed his eyes in an attempt to fall back asleep.

Several minutes went by but Dipper couldn't fall back asleep. Just for a moment, the brunette let his mind wander to question if this is what it felt like to wake up to a significant other. With his past relationships, Dipper's never experienced cuddling before. This pressure was comforting, protective, and everything Dipper wanted to experience. The only thing that stopped him from fully enjoying the moment was the thought of Bill's actions only being done in his unconscious state. Dipper felt like he was violating Bill's personal space in a way, but couldn't talk himself into pulling away. It wasn't until he felt the arm on his stomach move that Dipper suddenly felt shy and embarrassed for not taking the chance to pull away. Instead, the brunette turned on his side, closed his eyes, and pretended to be asleep; praying the older man couldn't hear his racing heart.

Bill shifted to back and stretched his arms and legs before settling back to his sleeping position, his arm being tossed back around Dipper's waist. It was quiet for a few moments before the arm was suddenly snatched away and Bill's body shot up from the bed. Dipper did everything he could to stay still, trying to look like he was still asleep. The former demon's presence was still on the bed, although he was no longer laying down. It killed Dipper to not open his eyes to see the older man's reaction to him holding onto him. After what felt like hours, Dipper felt the bed shift and Bill was suddenly laying down again. This time, the arm purposely flung over Dipper's waist again and he felt Bill become flush with their bodies against each other. Dipper felt the older _snuggle_ into his hair, giving his body a squeeze for a few moments before letting go and removing himself completely from the bed. Dipper's heart was pounding harder than before if that was even possible, and his face felt hot. Not only did Bill hold through _throughout_ their time asleep, but he _purposely_ held him again just after he woke up.

Dipper heard the bedroom door open and close and waited a few moments before allowing his eyes to open. Sitting up quickly, Dipper grabbed his chest and let out a few pants, trying to calm his heart from bursting out of his chest. His head was spinning while he looked at the door from where Bill disappeared from. All that was running through his mind while he pushed himself off the bed and looked around the room was ' _I need Mabel.'_

While Bill wasn't in the room, Dipper searched for his phone and sighed when he couldn't find it. Dipper rubbed his arms feeling flustered and made his way to the door. Bill walked through the room and nearly collided with the brunette. The blond man jumped a bit and Dipper watched as he notices Bill's cheeks turn a light pink.

"You're awake!" Bill's voice was stunned and a little too high pitched, but that didn't prevent the grin that grew on his face while he looked at the shorter male. "I hope I didn't wake you."

"Y-yeah, you were g-gone," Dipper felt himself stutter and internally scolded himself. Bill's cheeks, on the other hand, dusted in pink. "It got cold," he quickly said, not sure how to bring up the cuddle session they had overnight. The blush soon faded from Bill's cheeks as he moved further into the room, nodding in understanding but not making a comment back.

"How'd you sleep?" he asked casually as if he hadn't just held the other while they slept. Dipper watched Bill as he dressed.

"Good…" the brunette trailed off and admired the view Bill was giving him. The night before he had been too shy to check the man out but now, with the daylight shining past the blinds, Dipper allowed his eyes to trail down Bill's fit body. The muscles almost glimmered in the daylight. Unfortunately, the blond noticed his eyes and started chuckling.

"Like what you see?" he smirked, pausing before putting on a shirt, to allow the brunette to get a full look of himself. Dipper felt his face redden and he quickly turned away. Bill let out a heart filled laugh and continued to dress. "Don't lie. I know I was blessed in this cursed life with good looks."

"Ever thought that was also bad luck?" Dipper questioned, trying to ignore how his stomach turned at the sight of the taller man.

"Sometimes," he shrugged and walked up to the shorter man, smirking. "But I'm sure you would agree that I'm 'eye candy.'"

Dipper felt himself blush a bit and narrow his eyes a bit. "Careful," he warned. "No one likes cocky people."

"What?" Bill chuckled a bit. "Am I the bad guy for saying what's on everyone mind?"

Dipper shook his head but couldn't help but snicker a bit. "How do you know everyone thinks it?" he pressed on.

"Look at the way people look at me," he raised an eyebrow and shrugged. "If I even smile at someone outside of class, I would have to resign. The one time I did, I was being asked out left and right for months."

"You must have disappointed a lot of people," Dipper bit his bottom lip, feeling slightly disappointed, himself, knowing he wouldn't date anyone.

"I can tell you from experience," Bill took a step closer to Dipper, backing him out of the room and against the hallway wall. The brunette's eyes were wide a bit, not expecting the other from the bold move. The blond man leaned in and stood a few inches away from him, giving that sweet smile he always wears. "Everyone loves a villain," he spoke slowly, staring right into Dipper's eyes.

The brunette's heart raced hard, staring right into his eyes. Dipper ripped his eyes away and slipped into the bathroom. Bill's laughter filled the apartment before the door closed. Sighing heavily, Dipper rubbed his face and groaned a bit, letting out his breath he didn't know he was holding.

' _What the fuck!'_ he thought viciously.

The pants from the day before were left in the restroom, allowing Dipper to change quickly and return the sweats to Bill's closet. This gave him time to try to erase the events from the last few minutes. The blond man was cleaning the dishes from dinner and was, for once in this rare time, wearing casual clothes instead of the semi-formal clothing. His eyes traveled down the lean body, admiring the view. Dipper felt his heart pound in his chest when he caught himself checking out the taller man again. He forced himself to look away and walk to sit on the couch.

'What the hell,' he thought to himself, trying to keep his eyes off of the professor. The looks weren't the same as they possibly were a few days ago. He's not admiring Bill's style at this point, he hardly even acknowledged the articles of clothing. Dipper's eyes kept falling back to the blond man, trying to stay silent as he admired how the man moved. How the former demon walked around the kitchen casually, as if he was always a human. Bill pulled out two bowls and spoons then turned to walk to the table that was still set up. As soon as he turned around, he jumped at the sight of Dipper on the couch.

"Fuck," he grumbled, placing the dishes down before he dropped them. "You scared me."

Dipper felt his skin go cold and sat up. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"Are you okay?" Bill asked, tilting his head a bit. "You look like you saw a ghost."

Dipper shook his head and stood up, walking to the table. "Thanks for letting me stay," he kept his eyes down and wrapped his arms around his waist, remembering the feeling of Bill's arm being there instead.

"Come on, kid," Bill raised an eyebrow at him. "Drop the formality. What's up?"

Dipper felt himself grumble, staring at the former demon. "You," he admitted.

"What about me?" he tilted his head. "I'm charming." He walked back to the kitchen to retrieve two different types of cereal.

"I want to know more," Dipper sat at the table while watching him grab milk. "You were so snarky before, I would have guessed those traits would come with your human form."

"Enough people got the wrong idea," he plopped down and placed the items on the table in between themselves. " _Especially_ with old jobs."

"What happened?" Dipper questioned, grabbing of one the boxes of cereal.

"Customers would report me," he explained, filling his own bowl up with the second cereal box he had. "Co-workers thought I was trying to get in their pants. So, I stopped. Became this picture perfect robot that no one would even want to get mad at."

"Which is what you are now," Dipper somewhat stated, knowing his reputation around the campus.

"Yup!" he smirked and began eating. Dipper scowled a bit, watching the professor eat the food without milk.

"Dry?" he tilted his head confused. "Why'd you bring the milk out then?"

"You," he spoke with his mouth full, covering his mouth with his other hand to be polite.

"Your mouth is full," Dipper scolded. Bill snickered and swallowed.

"Sorry, mom," he joked. Dipper leaned over and flicked his nose, causing him to laugh.

"If I was your mom," Dipper pressed the joke by leaning in and holding a finger in front of his face. "You would be grounded."

Bill rolled his eyes and continued to laugh, holding his hands up in defeat. "Since you're _not_ my mom though," he smirked at the other then proceeded to take a spoonful of cereal and placed it in his mouth. Dipper crossed his arms and leaned back, shaking his head in disbelief for the effort being put in. "You can't tell me what to do," Bill mumbled through the food, snorting through his nose and hid his face. A smile broke on Dipper's face and he began laughing with the stubborn professor.

"Whatever, man," he chuckled and poured milk in his own bowl before eating.

"Seriously though," Bill started to speak after swallowing finally. "Did you sleep okay?"

"Honestly?" Dipper stared down into his bowl, trying to let his hair hide his blush. "I slept better than I ever have before."

Bill stayed quiet for a few moments, messing with his utensil and staring at his bowl as well. After some silence, they both looked at each other at the same time. Questions filled Dipper's mind, wanting to ask all but none at the same time.

"Stop staring," Dipper buttered out, face going red as he hid his face. "You're creeping me out."

Bill smirked and rolled his eyes a bit. "You should move in," he suddenly suggested.

Shocked, Dipper looked straight at him with confusion written all over his face. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me," the blond man shrugged and continued eating. "We can get a bigger apartment and you can move in."

"Where did _that_ come from?" the brunette shook his head, still very confused at the sudden topic. "Why do you want me, a current student of yours, to _move in_ with you?"

"You slept here better than anywhere," Bill tried pointing out. "Think about it! It'll be fun!"

"Wait a minute," Dipper shook his head move and held the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes. "Just because I slept good, you want me to move in. Are you sure it's not because of Andrew? What would he do? Follow?"

"I don't know," Bill shrugged. "This isn't about him, it's about us— I-I mean, you! This is about you! Do you want to be with your family forever? Are you planning on living at the Shack? You're going to move out at some point, right?" Dozens of questions were spilling out of the blond man's mouth, non-stop. Dipper felt his heart ready to burst and held his hands up.

"Stop," he tried to calm the excited former demon down. "Please." Bill paused in his questions and leaned back against his chair, staring at the brunette with hopeful eyes. "We have barely been each other's, I don't know if it's been long enough to think about _moving in._ I have plans, I'm sticking to them. I'm sorry, that doesn't include living in an apartment while I have a rent-free room available."

Bill's face darkened a bit as Dipper spoke. The brunette watches his shoulder slump a bit and he continued eating slowly. Once the point was made, the blond man nodded slowly.

"Is there another reason you suddenly want me here?" Dipper asked softly, starting to feel guilty for rejecting the offer. Bill didn't respond so Dipper just examined his features for a few moments. His eyes landed on the bandage that was still on the upper corner of Bill's forehead, where he had been hit from the home invasion. Dipper suddenly gasped a bit, remembering the events from the beginning of the week.

 _The home invasion._

 _'That_ has to be the reason he wants another roommate,' Dipper thought to himself, starting to feel a pit of pity swell in his stomach for the taller man.

"Did the complex change the locks?" he hesitantly asked, worried about mentioning the horrific events.

"Not yet," Bill responded quietly, near the bottom of the bowl. "They said they would by the end of November."

"So like another week maybe?" Dipper questioned, mentally noting to look for his phone when he was done eating. "How are you holding up from that?"

"Just peachy," Bill spoke sarcastically, giving Dipper an almost-believable grin. "I'm alive. All I care about."

"Sounds like you don't want to be alone though," the brunette commented. Bill scoffed.

"I can be alone," he rolled his eyes playfully.

"Nah," Dipper shook his head, smirking a bit. "You sound lonely. Maybe you should get laid."

Bill let out a heartfelt laugh. "Of course you humans would do that," he shook his head, trying to stifle his laugh a bit. "You know that's how diseases get spread."

"Coming from the guy that did drugs," Dipper shot back playfully. "But fine, let the adults handle that one, will ya?"

"Excuse me?" Bill crossed his arms like a child, pouting. "I am older than you in every form!"

"Don't pout," Dipper swayed his hands at Bill, pressing on. "It's not attractive at your age."

"Bullshit, I'm not attractive," the blond man stuck his tongue out. "I'll have you know that any woman or man would be _lucky_ to even _kiss_ me?"

"Aww," the brunette continued smiling widely. "Never had your first kiss? So sad, a 28-year-old virgin."

" _PINE TREE_!" Bill warned, face growing red. "Fuck you!"

"Okay," Dipper dared, bursting out in laughter as Bill's face contorted in confusion and reddened. "Such a virgin response."

"Are you not a virgin?" Bill questioned, the red slowly dropping from his face.

"I am," Dipper shrugged. "I had my first kiss though."

"You have no room to judge!" the blond argued, looking flustered.

"No judgments here!" the younger man held his hands up. "I was just saying."

Bill fell silent and stood up to place his bowl in the sink. Dipper ate the rest of his cereal in peace and placed the bowl in the sink before joining the taller man on the couch. The table still had their alcohol drinks at the coffee table and caused Dipper to gasp a bit.

"We forgot out the pie!" he complained, running to the fridge and pulling out the pumpkin pie that was sitting in the fridge. "Want a piece?" Bill agreed and Dipper brought two plates over with a slice on each, including forks. "I forgot cool whip, but it's still good without it!"

Bill hummed and they ate in a comfortable silence. Without realizing, Dipper sat against the blond, causing them both to lean into each other to keep their balance. Once the pies were eaten and the plates were scattered on the table in front of them, the brunette realized their positions and moved away quickly. This caused Bill to frown.

"I'm not going to bite you," he commented, noting the distance Dipper gave them.

"I didn't know if I was too close," Dipper admitted and shrugged a bit. "I still wanted to talk."

"Okay," Bill shrugged. "You can come back and we can still talk."

Dipper couldn't believe what he was hearing. Bill sounded like he was _asking_ to cuddle.

"Are you asking to…" he trailed off, unsure how to word the question. "No, it's okay, I'm okay here."

Bill sighed a bit then pulled his legs on the couch, settling his knees right under his chin, and wrapped his arms around his legs.

"What did you want to ask?" Bill questioned, looking exhausted.

"I remember Wendy mentioned something at the beginning of the semester," he started, trying to remember something he had been confused about but didn't bring up. "About you donating to the school?"

"What about it?" he asked.

"If you have enough to donate, why don't you build yourself a house?" he questioned. "This place doesn't seem that safe and it sounds like you want to move."

He shrugged, starting to look uncomfortable. "Ever since I moved here," Bill spoke quietly, "I started getting these checks sent to me. The first one came with a letter, stating something about a trust fund from a relative, and started to receive them every week. So, I split half all of the money at the end of the month. One half I give to the school and the second half I let the teachers pick where it goes. Sometimes it goes to charities and sometimes it goes to the city."

"Relative?" Dipper was confused.

"I know," Bill rolled his eyes and shrugged. "I just think it's another trick of bad luck. If I accept it, how much you want to bet that my apartment would catch fire? Or I would have to move suddenly? Not worth it. I don't want it. I don't have human relatives so I don't care about not having it."

"That's noble of you to not keep it," Dipper tried to say, knowing Bill wouldn't see it like that.

"It's not noble," he shook his head. "It's a trick. Hell, this last time when it came, an extra note was added saying ' _You'll need this_ ' and then this shit happens. It's a trick, nothing but a disgusting trick that this ' _God_ ' is trying to force me to fall for."

Fear started to creep into Dipper's stomach as he thought about what he had said. "What if you do end up needing all the money?"

"Then I'll face the consequences," he shrugged. "I visit the hospital enough so they see me as a regular that can't stay out of trouble. I go almost every month. Not by choice, of course."

"How often do you see a regular doctor?" the brunette questioned.

"As little as possible," Bill mumbled. "I don't like to. They always find shit wrong."

"Is anything wrong with your health right now?" his voice dropped an octave at the question.

"Why are you being nosy?" the blond pouted.

"Not being nosy," Dipper shrugged. "Just was wondering."

Bill stayed silent and looked down to the couch. "I don't know whatever genes that ' _God_ ' gave me so I have no choice to but be conscious. I've been sick before, it sucks. I don't understand how you can deal with your allergies."

"How did you know—" Dipper began to ask but was cut off by Bill quickly.

"You seriously thought I wasn't around back then?" Bill shook his head. "Pine Tree, I saw everything. I was everywhere. Stop questioning how I know things. I just do. Accept it."

Dipper was taken aback, not expecting Bill to admit the spying. "Oh… Okay…" he trailed off and pulled his legs on the couch, sitting crisscross. "I don't understand how you can have a relative though. That sounds fishy."

"I took it down to my bank and they were already notified," he shrugged. "I asked them if there was a way to prevent getting the payments and they said no because it has to be given to me by law. I don't understand what they were saying, I'm just ignoring. When the money comes, I just take it out. No point in keeping it, I don't want to need it."

"Why do you cash it if you don't want to mess with it?" Dipper questioned.

"Because I tried ignoring the first few then I started getting ads of different charities along with fuckers walking to my door," he grumbled. "When I finally cashed it and started to donate, the ads and people stopped. I thought it was a sign so I followed it."

"I understand then," he sighed and looked back to the glasses on the table. "I should find my phone." Dipper stood up and walked around, scanning the areas in the living room for his cellular device.

"I saw it on the kitchen counter," Bill told him, watching him look around. Dipper walked to the kitchen, spotting the device next to the fridge.

Within minutes, Dipper was back on the couch with his phone in his hand, scrolling through the multiple messages from his sister. Guilt began to eat at Dipper while he read through the messages but none of them mentioned anything about their Grunkles being upset over him not going back home. The last message caught his attention though.

 _Mabel:_

 _12:32 AM_

 _Hey! Still don't know if you're staying with Bill but I'm just going to tell them you are. Message me when you're up so I know you're alive. I'm Black Friday shopping! Tell me some things Bill likes, we can get him something!_

While reading the message, Dipper heard Bill begin to move closer and read over his shoulder. The brunette looked up and back at the blond, watching as the older man leaned against Dipper's shoulder while reading.

"Can I help you?" Dipper asked, feeling himself smile a bit.

"Tell her not to get me anything," he responded and looked at the other, uncaring how close they were.

"It's called personal space," Dipper ignored his response. "Do you need it?"

"I don't care," Bill shrugged and purposely leaned further into Dipper, making him lean back into the couch. "Problem?" He smiled innocently to the brunette. A bit stunned, Dipper swallowed hard and tried to direct his attention back to his phone.

 _Dipper:_

 _9:20 AM_

 _I'm okay, just had too much to drink. Are you still shopping? Bill said not to get him anything._

Dipper placed his phone on the coffee table and looked back to the blond that was still trying to lean against him.

"Can I ask you a weird question?" he huffed up a bit. Bill raised an eyebrow and nodded. "Do you cuddle in your sleep?"

Bill's cheeks turned a hue of pink. "Honestly?" he leaned away from the brunette a bit. "I don't know. I only have been passed out next to someone after being high. I never really slept with someone in the same bed as me."

Dipper nodded and looked down to his lap while smiling a bit. "Well, you are a massive cuddler," he commented. He looked at the blond from the corner of his eye to see him slowly scooting himself away from the brunette. Quickly, Dipper turned and faced him on the couch. "I'm not saying it like it's a bad thing!" he spoke fast, not wanting to make him uncomfortable. "I-I just… I don't know… I never have either." Bill stayed quiet but watched the younger man speak. "I just wasn't expecting it," Dipper continued to explain.

"When did you notice…" the former demon's voice was very soft, not like it had been during the day.

"Last night," he explained. "Before I fell asleep, it kind of just happened."

"Is that why you slept well?" he asked and sat up, looking hopeful.

"I think so," Dipper mumbled, feeling his heart racing in his chest. "But remember we both had alcohol. We could have just been out of it…"

Bill stayed silent and looked away from the brunette. Dipper's phone vibrated, signaling a message from his sister. He grabbed his phone and checked the message quickly.

 _Mabel:_

 _9:30 AM_

 _No, but I got out awesome shit! Are you coming home? Grunkle Stan wants his truck, I can bring you a change of clothes if you're staying the night again?_

Once again, Bill shuffled himself closer to also read the message. A grin grew on his face and he looked at Dipper with an excited expression on his face.

"Spend the night again!" he cheered, clasping his hands around his arm.

Dipper shrugged a bit. "I don't know," he fiddled with his phone a bit, unsure of what to do.

"Come on," Bill leaned against Dipper and wrapped his arms around his waist. The brunette gasped at the sudden hold. "We can spend all day with each other!"

Dipper's heart was beating against his ears. With seeing how the blond reacted to seeing his sister's question, how could he bring himself to say no?


	14. Chapter 14

Dipper showered after Mabel dropped off a bag of clothes including other overnight items. The truck was taken back so he was left to spend another night with the professor. While showering, Dipper hesitated before using the items Bill had used the day before. The smell filled his senses and sent goosebumps down his spine. From the shampoo to the body wash, everything smelt like the blond man that was in the apartment. Heat from the shower started to make his head feel a bit buzzed and his hands slid over his heart. Thoughts of the former demon crowded his mind. To him, it didn't feel right to feel his heart beat so hard for the other. He put them through so much. But if that were true, why couldn't he stop himself from melting into the intoxicating touch and agree to stay over again?

It wasn't long before Dipper pulled himself out of his thoughts and the hot water. He dried and dressed but took a few moments to himself before exiting the bathroom. It was about noon and before he jumped into the shower, Bill had asked about lunch before leaving to pick something up. The brunette sat in the living room to wait for his host to return. He browsed his phone while he waited but soon, he felt himself grow anxious. Waiting for the taller man to return was leaving him feeling like he was lost. He was tempted to surround himself with the other's sweet scent again. Without thinking much of it, the brunette pulled himself to his feet and allowed himself to walk to Bill's room. He used the older man's shampoo and body wash but it didn't feel like it was enough.

The room was still only lightly lit so Dipper opened the blinds and allowed the sun to brighten the entire room. He looked around while sliding to sit in the office chair that was set in front of the desk.

'What am I doing?' he thought to himself, scanning the room until his eyes landed on the bed. While looking around, he pulled his phone out and sent a message to Bill.

 _Dipper:_

 _12:08 PM_

 _You're such a slowpoke! Bet you miss teleporting, huh?_

Dipper pushed himself off of the chair and lied down on the mattress. He snuggled under the blanket and took in the missing man's scent. A pit in his stomach began to grow, feeling as if this was wrong. Hatred towards himself started to grow when he felt his heart race at the memories from that morning.

"What are you doing?" A voice boomed through the room suddenly. Dipper jerked and sat up in the bed quickly, feeling his face grow hot as he looked towards the opened door for the owner of the voice. Andrew was standing in the doorway, glaring daggers at the brunette. The brunette felt scared at the sight of the angry man who stood there, waiting for a response. "Well?" he pressed.

"W-what?" Dipper stuttered, removing himself from Bill's bed.

"You heard me," he growled. "What are you doing? Why are you still here?"

"I-I," Dipper was stumbling with his words, trying to fight the fear that was creeping up in his chest. Andrew suddenly took a step towards the shorter male who barely moved away from the bed. A dark look loomed over the taller man's face and he growled angrily at the frightened boy.

"I told you," he growled, "to _stay away._ Why aren't you fucking listening?"

Any warmth that was left in Dipper's body was wiped away by the icy cold stare that Andrew was giving him. Before he could respond though, he heard another voice enter the room.

"Get the fuck away from him," Bill's voice was stern and Andrew turned to see the blond man standing in the doorway, glaring daggers at the black-haired man's back. Andrew glared back at the former demon without any fear.

"Make me," he dared. The blond man's hands were in fists as he stared back. "You can't touch me. Watch what you're doing."

"I said," Bill walked towards the two and grabbed Andrew's wrist in a death grip, " _Get away from him_."

Dipper watched in fear as the blond proceeded to pull and push Andrew away from him and out of the room. Once he was outside, Bill looked back for a moment and closed the door, leaving Dipper in the room. Alone.

Muffles could be heard right outside of the door but it wasn't loud enough for Dipper to hear anything. While temptation wanted to draw the younger male in, fear held him in his spot. Suddenly, the brunette buried himself back into the bed and under the blankets. That's when he felt his tears on his face. When did he start to cry? The answer didn't matter though. All that mattered at that moment was the honey scent around him and the thought of Bill getting the strange 'helper' away from him. Dipper burrowed into himself on the mattress and shoved his face into the soft pillow that Bill had slept on.

Minutes later, he heard a door slam that shook the walls. After a few more quiet moments, Bill's door was opened and Dipper froze. The bed shifted and the brunette felt another body press up against his front. When arms wrapped themselves around him, Dipper rose his head out from the blanket to meet Bill's eyes staring back with concern written in his eyes. Relief crossed over the brunette's features and he allowed himself to relax against the hold.

"Sorry I was slow," Bill's voice was low while he spoke, pulling himself closer to the smaller male.

"What was wrong with him?" Dipper asked while his hands reached and grabbed onto the other's shirt.

"I don't know," a sigh came from the former demon's throat, tightening his hold onto Dipper. "He has no right to talk to you, he knows that."

"But he left us alone before," the brunette commented. "Why is now so different?"

"I wish I knew," Bill stroked his back slowly. "He wouldn't tell me why. I said you were staying with me again and he left."

"Left?" Dipper furrowed his eyebrows, his eyes dancing across Bill's features. "Like to his room? Or the apartment?"

"The apartment," Bill's eyes were soft, staring at him with that same emotion Dipper noticed on Pacifica's birthday. "I don't know when he'll be back."

"I'm just glad he's gone," the brunette's eyes fell a bit, his sight landing on the blond man's lips.

They were slim but still plumped, causing his heart skipped a beat and his stomach began to twist. Realization hit him with their lips only being about a foot away from each other. The urge to lean forward was growing on Dipper quicker when he looked back into Bill's eyes. Dipper noticed the black dot in Bill's iris again, right under the pupil in his left eye. His hands moved to cup the former demon's face with his palm as he moved in a bit. Thoughts of his lips were gone by the time he felt Bill tense up and his eyes were widened a bit in shock. Dipper paused with their noses barely touching.

"Pine Tree?" Bill questioned in a small whisper, voice full of shock and nervousness from the younger male's bold movements. Being closer now, the brunette was able to see that the dot he has noticed before was slightly deformed. Dipper was staring into his eyes intensively.

"Do you have an eye doctor?" he asked bluntly.

"No," the blond haired man pulled away from Dipper's sudden closeness. "I can see fine," his voice was laced with confusion.

"Can you go see one?" Dipper didn't move closer to the man but was still staring directly at his affected eye.

"There's nothing to go for," Bill sat up on the mattress and leaned on his hand for support. "Why?"

"There's something in your eye," he explained, pushing to sit up as well. "I don't know, I saw it when you were at the hospital but I think it's either moving or growing."

Bill shook his head a bit. "Wouldn't the doctors I talked to at the hospital notice that?" he suggested. "It's probably nothing. I never noticed anything in my eyes before."

"Can you please?" Dipper pressed, ignoring what he had just said.

"Why?" the blond asked again.

"I already told you," the brunette pushed the covers off.

"But my vision is fine," he lightly argued. "I don't need to go."

"For me then?" Dipper pressed. Bill stayed silent for a moment before rolling his eyes and removed himself from the bed.

"Remember me asking for your opinion?" Bill asked suddenly. "No? Well, me neither."

"That's not funny," Dipper responded with determination in his voice. The blond sighed and shook his head.

"It's funny when you think about it," the blond sat at the office chair and looked back to the brunette in his bed. "You're acting like-" he quit speaking for a moment and held the bridge of his nose, letting out a slow sigh. "Thanks for your concern. I do not need it. Stop. Don't worry your pretty little head about it."

"You really don't know what it's like to have a friend, huh?" Dipper questioned, feeling a bit frustrated. "When are you going to take me seriously?"

"When you realize what you're doing isn't friendly," Bill accused quickly, letting his hand drop from his face and looking at the brunette. "I mean, it's nice, but not _friendly_."

Dipper paused, feeling taken aback a bit at the response. "How would you know what a friend is?" he mumbled a bit, crossing his arms defensively.

"I've seen _friends_ ," he pressed. "I've been treated well by a good amount of people to know by now if what you're doing is friend-like or not."

"Do you know what it's like to have a _best_ friend, then?" Dipper tried to question, feeling nervous that his actions were being taken the wrong way. But were they? Dipper didn't even know. Again, all he's thinking once again for that day is needing his twin sister.

"That, I'll give you," he shrugged. "I haven't been close though to anyone for them to think that."

"Mabel has had many best friends," Dipper continued to explain. "They look after each other in every aspect. They do each other's hair and make-up. Sometimes they'll let each other borrow clothes. They walk with each other, sometimes Mabel would drive her friends to their home just to make sure they were safe. They also sleep in the same bed and for as long as I shared a room with her, I know her and her friends also cuddled up to each other. Especially during the winter. Any of my friends usually slept on the floor because I don't know if they're cool with cuddling. So," he shrugged a bit and scratched the back of his head. "I kind of consider you to be my best friend."

Bill stayed silent while listening to the younger boy start to ramble. The brunette did notice a shift in demeanor from the other male. Physically, he seemed relaxed a bit while leaning back against the chair but his eyes faltered and were staring at the ground. Dipper walked towards the former demon and he grabbed his shoulders, massaging his fingers against his shoulders lightly. Bill's eyes traveled from the floor up to Dipper's face, his expression unreadable.

"Would you consider me your best friend?" Dipper's voice was soft and full of guilt.

"By your definition?" the blond man smiled a bit. "Of course."

Relief passed through Dipper and he let his hands drop from the other's shoulders. "Good," he pressed his hand on his stomach. "Now, let's go eat. I'm starving."

Lunch was quiet but comfortable. They weren't sitting as close as they were that morning, but Dipper felt content but knew there was possibly a reason behind the taller man's silence. Once they were finished eating, Bill casually walked back into his bedroom with the brunette on his tail.

Once inside, Bill kneeled down and pulled out a long wooden box from under his bed. He leaned with his back against the bed then motioned for Dipper to sit next to him and once he did, the former demon popped the top off and the brunette's eyes went wide.

"Bill," he stared at the contents in the box. The items inside ranged from small glass containers holding small bundles of green, what Dipper was assuming to be marijuana, to small cases of other items. "Are you kidding me?"

Bill chuckled and grabbed one of the smaller cases. "Problem?" he asked, unzipping the case and pulled out a small clean pipe. "I haven't smoked in over a week," he explained. "I only do this on weekends and breaks and as you know, I've been in the hospital for a while."

Dipper thought he would feel uncomfortable but instead, he was more shocked to see Bill willingly showing off his stuff to the younger male. "Are you wanting me to smoke?" he questioned. "Why are you showing me this?"

"We're best friends, right?" Bill raised an eyebrow. "I haven't been able to enjoy this with anyone. You don't have to smoke but are you okay if I do?"

Dipper shrugged and scooted himself closer. "Does it make you weird?" he questioned.

"Only if you don't like hearing conspiracy theories," he chuckled. "I talk a lot."

"That's not different," Dipper smirked. "You won't act differently?"

"Alcohol makes me act different," he commented. "At least if I get drunk it will. This just makes me focused and talkative."

"Then I'm fine with it," he gave in and eyed the glass in his hand. Bill smiled a bit and ruffled Dipper's hair with his free hand. "Can you tell me about it though?"

"About weed?" excitement was hinted in his voice. Dipper nodded. "Of course! You should know everything about it before you even consider trying it, you know."

Bill placed the pipe down and pulled up a few metal rods from the box, placing the top of the box on top of the rods to form a mini table. The glass was neatly placed down on the table and Dipper watched as the blond pulled out the containers that held the plant inside.

"First off," he held the container in front of Dipper. "This is most commonly called flower, tree or bud. It's the most common way that people have smoked for centuries. There are a few different ways to smoke but this is what I feel like is the safest. Most everything else is processed a bit. Of course, it also depends on what you smoke out of." Dipper watched as Bill placed down the items and held up the pipe. "I use pipes the most but I also have a bong. Those are large and I haven't smoked out of a bong in a few years now. In order to keep the glass safe to use is to clean it often though, which can get tedious but worth it."

"What made you start?" he asked curiously. "I mean, you said you quit drugs so what made you want this?

"It's not the same kind of high," he explained and placed the glass down on the wooden table. "Before it was to get away but with this, it helps ground me. It's been keeping me sane after a lot of dumb shit I've gone through. I never lose myself with it, especially because if I smoke too much, I just sleep." While talking, Bill pulled out a circle metal container and opened it to place a few of the so-called 'buds' inside.

"Could you not sleep before?" Dipper watched as the metal lid was placed back on and Bill began turning the top.

"Not for a while after I was found," he admitted. "After I was released from the hospital, I so distorted and afraid of being found again, I couldn't sleep for longer than an hour at a time." He stopped twisting the top and opened the container to reveal a second chamber, showing grounded up the flower in a neat pile. "After my attempt failed, I had to deal with Andrew. At first, I thought he was just a babysitter but after a while, he made me think that he was supposed to be a gift for me. Someone I can lean onto. I didn't believe him, obviously. I refused to talk to him but I knew that now his life was in my hands. I can starve him or I can make him a reason to keep living," he talked while filling up the pipe bowl with the shredded content. "Humans are weak when it comes to feeling compashion for others. All I could think about was, 'how the hell am I going to feed another grown man?' But with having to concentrate my efforts on picking up hours at work, I was able to get past the withdraws. Unfortunately, I still wasn't sleeping. Andrew actually told me to."

" _Andrew?_ " Dipper couldn't believe his ears. "Are you pulling my leg?"

Bill chuckled and shook his head. "If I was pulling your leg, you wouldn't have one anymore," he snickered and accepted Dipper's nose flick. "I mean it, he told me to use that. Sleeping medicine wasn't working. So, I did and knocked out." The blond man dug around the front of the box and pulled out a small, yellow lighter. "I started to smoke on really bad days when I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep. At least, until I moved here. My job made me enjoy my days, even when bad things happened. Now, I reserve it for relaxation on weekends and vacations."

"Have you ever smoked with Andrew?" Dipper questioned.

"Never asked," he shook his head. "Never really wanted to anyways."

Dipper nodded and watched Bill as he brought the mouthpiece up to his mouth and flicked the lighter on, burning some of the green and inhaling. The pipe was taken away from his mouth and placed on the table, Bill slowly letting the cloud of smoke leave his lungs.

"How are you feeling?" he mumbled softly. Bill let out a chuckle.

"Has anyone ever told you," he raised an eyebrow at the younger male, "you ask _a lot_ of questions?"

Dipper pouted and crossed his arms over his chest. "Has anyone ever told _you,_ " he emphasized on the work, " _you_ don't ask _enough_ questions?"

"Why would I question anything?" he shrugged, grabbing the pipe. "I have the answers. Even if someone else doesn't know, I know."

Dipper rolled his eyes as the blond took another hit off the pipe. "Forgive me," he waved his hands in front of himself a bit. "I know you know _lots of things_."

Bill breathed out while snickering, facing Dipper and leaned in so close, their noses were touching. In the deepest voice he can manage, he stated, " _Lots of things,"_ he stared at the younger with wide eyes.

Dipper placed his hand on the blond man's face and pushed him back, letting out an amused laugh. "Too close, bro," he remarked.

"Sorry, I don't understand what you're saying" Bill scooted closer and playfully rolled his eyes. "I don't speak bullshit."

"So conceited," he rolled his eyes as Bill took another hit.

"Oh, stop it, you," Bill snickered and raised his shoulders, squirming around a bit like an embarrassed kid.

"Not a compliment," Dipper stuck his tongue out at him, chuckling softly.

"You love it," he took another hit and closed his eyes while holding his breath, leaning back against the bed. Dipper watched, starting to feel a bit intrigued.

"Can I try?" he felt himself ask.

Bill stopped and stared at Dipper with a confused look on his face before letting out the smoke again. "You barely know anything about it," he stated, placing the pipe down.

"I know, but," Dipper scooted a bit closer. "You can be my teacher."

"I don't want you to smoke under peer pressure," Bill explained. "You won't enjoy it if you're being pressured to."

"You haven't asked me or suggested me to," Dipper started to respond. "If anything, it sounds like you're trying to make me not. I think that counts as the opposite of peer pressure."

"Seeing it can be considered it too though," Bill let out a soft sigh and started to place the items back into the box. "I don't want you to unless you actually want to."

"Well," he pressed. "I want to."

Bill stared at Dipper, searching his face for an answer he wasn't asking. Dipper stared back, examining his features.

"Why?" the blond asked softly.

"I want to enjoy it with you," Dipper admitted. "I trust you so if you're smoking that then I believe I'll be okay. You make me feel safe."

Bill sighed softly but nodded, pulling the items back out along with a somewhat cleaned ashtray. The bowl was emptied and refilled within a matter of minutes, Dipper paying close attention. Once he was done, he stood up and left the room quickly. He returned with a glass of water in his hand, placing it in front of the brunette before taking his spot back on the floor.

"I wasn't really expecting you to want to try it," he commented, settling down and picked the glass pipe up.

"Well," Dipper shrugged. "Expect the unexpected."

"But then it'll get boring," Bill smirked and glanced to the brunette, offering the pipe to the other. "I'll light it, just hold this and I'll cover this hole," he explained while helping the younger male position the item properly in his hand. "Breathe slowly. Once you take some in, I'm going to remove my finger and the hole will allow more oxygen in to clear it. You don't have to take it all if it becomes too much just pull away. I have water so if it burns for whatever reason, you will cough so you can drink that to help."

Dipper nodded and held the pipe back for a moment to take a quick sip of the water before returning. The pipe was against his lips once again and he watched as Bill flicked the lighter on. "Breathe in now," he instructed and let the flame touch the flower.

Dipper did as he was told but didn't feel too much in his throat until Bill removed his finger. Heat shot down his throat and it caused him to suddenly turned away and began coughing. Bill placed the pipe and lighter on the table and began patting Dipper's back.

"You okay?" Bill asked, voice full of concerned. Dipper nodded and took a drink of water. Once his coughs calmed down, the brunette smiled sweetly to the other.

"I'm good," he spoke softly, voice rough.

"Do you want to go watch something?" the blond man asked. "You might feel better out there. I can bring some stuff out."

"Yeah," Dipper nodded. "That sounds like a good plan."

Bill moved away and stood up. "Do you need help up?" he asked.

"I'm good," Dipper pushed himself to his feet and began walking to the exit, still holding onto the water. He stopped at the door and glanced back, watching Bill grab an empty case and placing a few items inside. The blond caught up to him and they walked to the living room.

"What do you want to watch?" Dipper asked casually, nearly jumping on the couch.

"Did you have anything in mind?" Bill asked while setting the items on the table and the TV up for Netflix.

"Anything," he shrugged and looked over the items that were sitting on the coffee table. The glasses from the night before were still sitting on the table, causing Dipper to glare at them for a few moments before looking at Bill. "Excuse me?"

Bill looked back at the brunette with a confused expression from his tone. "What?"

"I thought we talked about this," Dipper pointed accusingly at the glasses abandoned on the table. The blond looked at the glasses and grumbled a bit silently before grabbing the dishes and placing them in the sink.

"They weren't empty," Bill mumbled when he sat back down.

"They've been sitting out since last night," Dipper rolled his eyes playfully.

"Want another hit?" he suddenly asked. "Sounds like you could chill pill. I have chill flower though, does that work?"

Dipper chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Yeah," he took a drink of water before grabbing the pipe from the table. "I want to try it this time," he suggested.

Bill shrugged and handed the lighter over. Dipper attempted to take his hit but started having an issue with the lighter. Apparently, his fingers were a little too weak to actually flick the lighter on. Grumbling softly, the brunette tapped the lighter against the blond man's shoulder.

"Need assistance?" Bill smirked at the shorter boy.

"Maybe," Dipper grumbled.

"I'm sorry, what was that?" the blond inched his ear closer to the brunette's mouth.

"Come on, Bill," the shorter man whined. The former demon chuckled and took the lighter from him.

"All I want you to do is ask nicely," he purred, leaning in a bit teasingly.

Dipper coldly reached for Bill's side and proceeded to wiggle his fingers, tickling the blond out of spite. Instantly, the apartment was filled with Bill's laughter. His body slouched into itself in protection and he spun himself a bit on the couch, holding his legs between himself and his tickler. Dipper moved closer and quickly placed the pipe on the table, pushing the older man on his back and continued attacking his sides. He was roaring in laughter and was trying to wiggle free.

"S-Stop!" Bill begged between breaths and laughter.

Dipper was laughing happily with him and stopped for a moment, both hands resting on either side of the blond man's waist. Bill's cheeks were red as he panted heavily under the brunette looking up at him through his squinted eyes. Suddenly, Dipper's heart began pounding hard as he noticed their position. The blond man was lying on the couch with the brunette hovering over him, hands on his sides and in between his legs. Time felt like it had slowed down for a moment and Dipper pushed himself off of the blond, feeling his heart in his ears. Bill stayed in his position for a few moments longer before sitting up. He leaned on his legs and stared at the brunette, who was staring back at him.

"Best friends?" Bill spoke softly, eyes gliding over his face. Dipper looked away and wrapped an arm around himself, trying to fight down the blush that was creeping up his neck.

A nervous wreck now, Dipper pulled his legs on the couch and hugged them closely.

"Sorry," he mumbled, looking away. The blond smirked and ruffled the brunette's hair.

"Come on," he grabbed the pipe and held it to him. "I was giving you shit," he chuckled. "Don't get so embarrassed."

"I-I wasn't…" Dipper trailed off and Bill laughed softly.

"Do you still want to?" he offered the pipe again. Dipper nodded and took the pipe.

"You'll need to use the lighter," he commented before pressing the glass against his lips and covering the hole. Without arguing, Bill assisted with the hit and pulled it out of Dipper's hands early before he had too much. This allowed a smoother air flow that wouldn't hurt.

They decided to put on the new Sabrina the Teenage Witch for the show to watch. During the first episode, Dipper was caught between paying attention to the show or to Bill's lecture about how almost everything is technically wrong compared to real witches he has met in his lifetime. By halfway through the series, Bill had gotten himself a good amount of high and rolled a joint to share with the brunette. Dipper was very lightheaded and dizzy. It felt as if his head was in the clouds but it helped with paying attention to Bill's rambling. Bill had served them both a second Thanksgiving dinner once Dipper started to complain about being hungry. By the end of the season, Dipper was done with both the act of watching something and Bill's corrections. So, he asked to turn the television off to just actually relax.

Dipper shuffled himself to the backdoor and slid into the backyard. The cool air reminded him to get his jacket but with how warm he felt, the cold wasn't rejected. There were two lawn chairs sitting on the porch so he let himself land in one. Within a minute, he was accompanied by Bill who slid himself into the free chair. They both lied back in the chairs and Bill reached out his hand halfway. His eyes were hard on Dipper, watching his every move as the brunette stared at the opened hand. Dipper's eyes fell on Bill's and had his hand fall to his own lap, rejecting the offer. The former demon pouted playfully and gave him the middle finger. Dipper laughed and shook his head, looking up to the sky. There wasn't much of a cover so the sky was shining beautifully in front of them.

"It's so beautiful," he mumbled to no one in particular.

"I found you," Bill pointed and smiled happily. "I can always find you."

"Well," Dipper chuckled. "You really did find me."

Bill's hand fell to his lap and he gave the brunette a sweet smile. "Did get to record your song?"

The mention of school pulled Dipper's brain out of its hazy state. He groaned a bit but nodded to the question.

"I felt embarrassed," he admitted. "I only had 4 hours in the studio then I had to leave it up to the teacher to produce it. I would have been fine if it was you but it's not so I'm worried."

"It should have been done by now," Bill sighed. "They should have passed out the finished products before everyone left."

"They didn't do any of that," Dipper informed him. "They let anyone who already recorded their song leave early."

"So you haven't even heard the finished product yet?" he asked, wanting confirmation.

"I haven't, no," Dipper confirmed. "I don't know about anyone else."

"That just tells me we're going to be behind," he commented. "That or I'm going to have a lot of work to catch up on once I go back."

"Is your break different than mine?" the brunette asked curiously.

"I have to go back a few days early," he responded. "It's nothing big. Just meetings but it'll allow me to catch up." Dipper nodded but shrugged.

"It could be done for all I know," he said.

"Can I hear it?" Bill asked.

"What?" Dipper felt his heart beat a bit, filling his stomach with nervousness.

"Can you sing it for me?" Bill asked again.

"Wh- Wa- Is-," Dipper stuttered, feeling his face grow warm. "Isn't that against the rules?"

"It's not a competition," he explained. "I'm not going to grade it just based off of words. I need the finished product."

"Do you hear a lot of songs before the completed process?" Dipper questioned.

"Duh," Bill gave him a confused expression. "Have you not seen the sessions I have with other students? I help everyone, you're not special."

"Ouch," Dipper held his hand over his heart playfully. "I'm wounded. You wound me."

"Whatever," Bill rolled his eyes and chuckled. "Did you only write one song this whole time?"

"It's not like everyone can spit out a song every week like you," the brunette remarked. "I work better when I'm with someone for things like emotions and love and heartbreak. I don't have much experience. I don't know how you can without any experience."

"You forget," he shook his head, "Tisk, tisk, Pine Tree. You're forgetting who I am."

"Am?" he rose an eyebrow. "You are a poor, adult man living in an unsafe apartment complex with a psychopath as a roommate. You work as an adored professor who claims to be a robot."

" _Fine_ ," he sneered at Dipper a bit. "What I _was_?"

"Oh!" Dipper smirked, laughing a bit. "You mean when _you_ were a psychopathic demon?"

"Smartass," Bill stuck his tongue out at the other. "My point is I have had time to learn how you humans see love."

"How do we 'see' love?" the brunette questioned.

"Let's see," he looked up and tapped his chin with his finger dramatically. "Long walks on the beach, mistletoe and new year kiss, Valentine's Day gifts, surprise proposals, you know, the normal sappy cheesy love shit you humans crave."

"Stop saying 'you' as if you're not one of us now," Dipper pointed his finger at the blond man and reached over to flick his nose. "Not all of those are necessary for love. Not everyone even thinks those are romantic."

"Oh?" Bill leaned closer to the other. "And what do you think is romantic? What sweeps you off your feet?"

"Of course you'd want to know," Dipper rolled his eyes and leaned back into the chair. "You're already attached to me."

"So, I already won you over?" he leaned in closer. Dipper's hand was suddenly pinching Bill's nose.

"Nice try," he snickered. "In your dreams."

Bill pulled away while rolling his eyes, letting out a chuckle and looked back up to the sky,

"It's not hard to make songs cheesy is what I mean," he explained. "And once you do experience the emotion, you'll just become a better artist."

Dipper stayed quiet for a few moments before sighing and felt around his pockets for his phone. Once it was out, the young man went through his notes and pulled up the lyrics that were typed in his phone.

"It might sound a little awkward without the music," he mumbled, feeling his heart race a bit at singing his first own song.

"Just think of the rhythm in your head and pretend that you're just practicing alone," Bill leaned his head his arm that was sitting on the armrest.

Dipper closed his eyes and took a deep breath in and out before clearing his throat to sing.

 _Have I done my best here, or_

 _Will I be here next year, or_

 _Are these my best years yet?_

Dipper's eyes were closed as he already memorized the lyrics, just holding the phone gave him a security blanket.

 _Was looking forward to_

 _Being important but_

 _I'm not important yet_

Music began to fill the brunette's mind as he began to sway in rhythm with the song.

 _If you put this scene on a movie screen_

 _Is it called a happy end?_

 _If the world gets me_

 _Where I'm supposed to be_

 _Will I know I made it then?_

 _It's so hard_

He paused for a moment and looked at Bill, who was staring at him intensely.

 _So can we skip to the good part?_

He stopped singing and the blond man smiled sweetly to him, clapping a bit.

"I like it," he commented. "Sounds exactly like you. But honestly?"

Dipper hummed a bit, still feeling shy about singing the song somewhere else other than school.

"This is my good part," Bill's voice was warm and loving, making Dipper's stomach twist and fill with butterflies. His heart began racing harder and the blush on his face was too dark not to be seen.

"B-Bill," he tried to speak, rubbing his face to attempt to cover his blush.

"I mean it," he pressed. "You're the first 'friend' I got, no matter how weirdly you view 'friendship' as."

"It's not weird," Dipper scolded. "You're weird for thinking it's weird."

"Whatever you say, Pine Tree," the former demon chuckled and gave up the argument.

It wasn't long before they were back inside the apartment and heading towards the room for sleep. Bill cleaned the living room completely, making sure to collect every plate as Dipper's sober mind started to return. The brunette was watching with his arms crossed as Bill took the plates to the sink.

The bedroom was cold and Bill began to undress in front of Dipper like the night before. Turning around quickly, Dipper searched for the sweats he wore the night before without thinking of the pajamas Mabel had packed for him. Soon enough, Dipper heard Bill close the blinds then lie on the bed. The brunette chose that time to quickly change into the sweats without leaving the room. He slid into the bed moments later and ran into Bill's bare chest rather quickly. Gasping, the younger male pulled back and shook his head.

"Too close," he commented and balanced on the edge of the bed.

"Oh, come on," Bill whined, grabbing the brunette's arms. "You said you slept great last night."

"You were drinking," Dipper tried. "You didn't know what you were doing, you did it in your sleep."

"Did I though?" he pressed. "Were you really not awake? I swear I felt something touch my head."

"What are you talking about?" the brunette felt himself blush hard at getting caught waking up in his arms and _not moving._

"It doesn't matter," Bill shook his head and pulled away from Dipper, settling on the opposite side of the bed. "Sorry."

Dipper stayed still for a moment before scooting a bit closer to fit better. The blond now had his back to him and guilt started to fill his gut. 'What the hell,' he thought to himself, scooting closer to Bill and wrapped his arms around the former demon's waist. He felt the taller man freeze under his touch so he tightened his hold. The taller man's scent was surrounding Dipper's senses once again as he buried his nose into the blond locks.

"I'm sorry," Dipper whispered into Bill's hair.

After a few minutes of silence, Bill turned around wrapped his arms back around the other's arms and back. Dipper had his nose buried in the crook of Bill's neck when he felt himself start to fade into unconsciousness. Before drifting off to sleep, he heard Bill's voice rumble quietly.

"What am I going to do with you, Pine Tree?"


	15. Chapter 15

A cold breeze shot down Dipper's collar on his shirt and onto his warm skin. The cold jerked the sleeping brunette out of his slumber and he was greeted by a dark, empty bed. Sadness pulled at his heart as he sleepily felt around for the warmth of his sleeping partner. When he didn't find anyone, his weak arms pushed him up slowly to look around the dark room. There was a door opened and closed within a matter of seconds of looking up, causing Dipper's heart to jump and began racing rapidly. His site didn't adjust to the dark so he wasn't capable of making out the figure walking towards the bed. Andrew's words from the day prior popped into his mind, causing him to cover himself up with the blanket

Almost instinctively, Dipper croaked out, "B-Bill?!"

"It's me," the blond man's voice rang through his ears, allowing him to breathe out heavily in relief. The mattress moved with Bill's body sliding in and Dipper felt his arms surround himself. "You're safe," he reassured while pulling the shaking boy into his arm-chest.

Dipper allowed his sleepy form to fall against the older male and pulled himself closer. "Where were you?" he whispered out, allowing his eyes to close.

"I had to pee," Bill explained and ran his fingers through the brunette's hair. "I'm sorry for leaving."

"It was cold," Dipper huffed out and felt himself relaxing.

"Do you need to go?" the blond asked softly. The brunette shook his head and snuggled closer, already half asleep. Bill hummed softly until they were both back asleep.

Dipper woke up in a pain in his gut and whined before opening his eyes, knowing he would be leaving the heat. The room wasn't too lit up just yet, giving the brunette the motivation to go quickly do his business and return to the sleeping figure. The cold air stabbed his skin as he moved off the bed and to and from the restroom. Once Dipper was settled back down on the mattress and faced the source of warmth, he felt a wave of realization hit him in his surroundings.

The brunette stared at Bill's sleeping face and watched at the blond man's body reacted in its sleep to bring his own body closer. His heartbeat roughly in his chest but allowed the actions to be done. Memories of the night before along with a few hours prior flooded back and Dipper's face heated up. Now with being so close to the former demon's body again, there was a strong urge in his chest to snuggle back up against him and go back to sleep.

His mind debated for a few minutes on what to do until he gave up, coming to the conclusion Bill also expected this as well so it should be fine. Once Dipper allowed this, he turned to have his back facing the sleeping figure and pushed himself to be flush with Bill's front. The sleeping figure instantly latched onto the new position and the brunette allowed himself a few moments to calm down before falling back asleep.

 _The room was dark and Dipper found himself laying underneath a dark figure. Their hot mouth was leaving sloppy kisses over their shoulder and up their neck. The stranger's hips were grinding roughly against his own, causing him to groan and shiver under their touch. Sweat was pooling on Dipper's forehead and his arms reached out to touch the other. As soon as he felt their lips against their ears, he hears a deep, husky voice breathed into his ear._

 _"Friends?"_

Dipper's eyes opened in a flash and he gasped out, staring up at the ceiling while letting out rough pants from the intoxicating dream. Cold air his hit heated cheeks as he looked around his location. Currently, he was lying on his back with Bill clung onto his side, one of his legs slightly wrapped around Dipper's own and left part of his leg resting right on top of the brunette's groin. The dream had left the younger male's penis half erected, leaving the pressure to add to the frustrating problem. His heart was in his ears when he attempted to wiggle out of his sleeping partner's hold but was abruptly stopped when he felt a ting if pleasure shoot up. The leg was moving against his problem and the feeling was leaving the brunette frozen in his spot. Urges to buck his hips were growing the longer he stayed still, so he decided it was now or never. As quickly as he could, he ripped himself from the bed and bolted for the bathroom.

Dipper got into the restroom in a flash and immediately locked the door, slamming his back against the door and letting out his breath he didn't know he was holding. The light was left off and he slid down to sit and closed his eyes. Thoughts of the dreams were swirling in his head, changing the darkened figure to the voice's owner. His heart began to beat harder at the thought of Bill over himself, feeling all of the heat get rushed to his groin. Feeling high by his arousal and thoughts, Dipper pulled out his erection from his sweats and gripped it roughly, pumping the length dry until more pre-cum dripped out.

Memorizing Bill's grip on him during both nights easily sent more spark rush down his body. Questions ran through his brain but none of them were stopping the need to get off. If anything, they were more tempting him to return to the room. Questions ranged from; ' _Why?! Why him? Why now? Why am I in here? Does he feel the same way? This isn't what friends do! What the HELL?!'_

"B-Bill," he whimpered out loud very quietly, bucking his hips in his hands from hearing the man's name. His head was shaking but his hand never stopped moving. ' _This isn't right!'_ But it felt right. Everything in his body screamed to go back to the blond male's side.

Two soft knocks came from the other side of the bathroom door, causing Dipper to jump up and open his eyes. The room was light up, finally realizing it was morning. His hands stopped moving but were still gripping tightly to himself.

"Pine Tree?" Bill's voice was on the other side of the door. Dipper's heart raced in his chest and his hand began moving again. Thoughts were racing through his head again, unsure how he should respond and cursing himself for not having the willpower to stop moving his hand.

"I-I'm in h-here," he stuttered out slowly, stroking himself slowly.

"Are you okay?" his voice was full of concern, causing the brunette to close his eyes again and lean back against the door. His hand began moving a bit faster.

"I-I'm okay," he stammered out quickly.

"You left the room really fast," he continued. Dipper chewed on his bottom lip as he continued at the sound of his 'friend's' voice. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"N-No!" he let out quickly, panting harshly a few times afterward, feeling his climax about to hit. "I-I'll be ba-back…"

"Are you crying?" Bill asked quickly, trying to turn the knob. "Let me in, please."

"I can't!" Dipper squeezed himself harder and covered his mouth with his other hand, biting down hard as he finally came. Bill stayed quiet on the other side and Dipper let out his harsh breaths through his nose in an attempt to be as quiet as possible.

Once his high began to wear off, he pushed himself up and cleaned up his mess before opening the bathroom door. Upon opening the room, he found Bill standing on the other side looking very sad. Guilt began to pool in Dipper's gut at the sight of the other man. From the dream to his bathroom session, to yelling at him.

"Did I do something wrong?" Bill asked quietly, hugging himself.

"Of course not," Dipper quickly said then quickly wrapped his arms around the blond, pulling him into a tight hug. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to yell," he mumbled then buried his face into the crook of Bill's neck. Chills ran down his arms as he felt the taller man begin to hug back. Dipper felt his heart beat quickly against his chest the longer he held onto the other. After a few quiet moments, Dipper pulled away a bit but held onto his arms. "Can we pretend this didn't happen?" a blush was over his cheeks, not wanting to admit to his actions.

"Only if you tell me what 'this' is," Bill responded, raising one eyebrow. "Why did you leave again?"

"Again?" Dipper questioned.

"You already got up to pee," he stated simply. "Did you have that much water?"

"I-I… Uh…" Dipper stuttered, looking down and letting go of his arms to wrap them around himself. "I-I would rather n-not say…"

"What?" Bill smirked. "Did you have a wet dream?" Dipper's face grew red and he didn't respond. The blond widened his eyes and he began to blush as well. "Are you serious?" he questioned. The brunette didn't respond. "In my bathroom?" he questioned again, blushing more.

Dipper covered his face and turned away, walking towards the living room. "I'll get my stuff," he quickly said, feeling ashamed.

"No!" Bill ran in front of Dipper and stopped him by catching him in a hug. "You're not going anywhere," he stated in a low tone.

"But I'm gross," Dipper tried to argue, feeling chills down his spine at the tone the other started to speak in.

"Never call yourself that," he stated, tightening his hold. "Who was it about?"

"Please," Dipper lowered his head and tried to pull away. "I don't want to-"

"No, no, no," Bill backed Dipper up against a wall to prevent him from pulling away. "You're not just going to leave me like that." The brunette stared at the taller man in a bit of shock. "Was it about me?" the former demon's voice was stern as he asked, placing his hands on either side of the timid boy.

Dipper covered his face with his hands and groaned. "Why do you care?" he grumbled.

"Look at me," Bill nearly demanded. Dipper obliged and hugged himself. "Why are you trying to leave?" the blond man questioned.

"Why do you care?" he asked back.

"I let you stay over for the last few nights," he began explaining. "Now suddenly you want to leave. I think I have the right to care about you wanting to just up and leave. I'm not going to be mad if you masturbated in my bathroom, calm down."

Dipper stayed quiet and held his breath, keeping his face covered. "I'm embarrassed, okay?!" he shouted through his hands. "I-I never…" he trailed off, feeling the guilt and shame in his stomach rise, remembering how he got off. His hands dropped from his face and he stared at their feet. "I never had this happen before," he mumbled weakly. "I haven't even had this with someone I dated," he continued to confess. Bill's hand began to stroke Dipper's hair and he sighed softly.

"So it was?" he questioned softly. Dipper nodded slowly and the blond cupped the younger male's cheek and forced him to look at him. Bill leaned in close and rested their foreheads against each other, their lips were millimeters apart. "Am I a friend now?"

Dipper's heart jumped in his chest and he jerked himself forward, closing the distance between them. The former demon had the younger male wrapped in his arms and against the wall. The kiss was deep and passionate, but sadly, it was short. Dipper placed his hand on Bill's chest and pushed him back slightly, breaking the kiss. They were both panting against each other and were dazed from the kiss.

"Wait," the brunette panted out softly, causing Bill to frown a bit but was released. The blond was standing in front of him differently, a little more confident.

"Don't tell me," Bill mumbled out a little darkly.

"I won't," Dipper sighed and leaned against the wall, watching the other's features really glowing in the morning light. Absolutely beautiful. "I…" he started. "I don't know how I feel right now…" he reached out and grabbed his arm. "I like you," the confession was soft and shy, the brunette moving his eyes downwards. "But I never felt like _this_ before," he continued.

"We can experience it together," Bill wrapped his arms back around the brunette and pushed himself against the younger again, barely giving him room to move around.

"I need time," Dipper tried again, leaning his head against Bill's shoulder. "I can't date while I'm in school, I need to focus on getting my book outlined so I can start."

Bill chuckled softly. "I'm being rejected because of your book?" he questioned, sounding a little hurt. "Because I'm not in your plan?"

Dipper bit his hip and wrapped his arms around the taller male, snuggling into the crook of his neck. "You were a surprise," he mumbled into his skin. Bill squeezed him and shook his head.

"You're a part of my bad luck," he grumbled. "Finally find someone to want and they say no."

Dipper felt tears perk in his eyes. "I'm not saying no," he quickly said. Bill suddenly pulled away and held the brunette's shoulders.

"Then what do you want me to be to you?" he asked, feeling nearly desperate.

"You're stubborn," Dipper grumbled and felt his stomach flip. "You're my stubborn, ex-demon, _friend_ , that I can't stop thinking about and wanting to be around. I don't know, I need time, please. I like you but I don't know in what way. I can't just stop everything I've been working on for jumping on an assumption! What if it's just the high and we get in trouble? What if you lose your job or I get kicked out of the school? What if I never do my book? That's the whole reason I came here, I can't just-" Dipper stopped suddenly when Bill released him and walked back to his bedroom without a word. The brunette teared up and wrapped his arms around himself and slid down the wall until he was sitting.

' _Great,_ ' he thought harshly, hugging his knees to his chest and let out a few tears that were building up. Dipper began regretting staying the extra night.

A few minutes passed before Dipper pulled himself up and dressed into a fresh set of clothing. After packing up to leave, he walked back to the bedroom and peeked in to see Bill lying on the bed with his back facing the door. The brunette slowly moved over and slid himself into the bed, crawling behind the blond and wrapping his arms around him. They lied there for a little while until Bill turned around and stared into the brunette's eyes.

"I'm not saying no," Dipper whispered softly. "I need to figure things out, I promise I'm not rejecting you."

Bill stayed quiet but snuggled close to Dipper, tucking his head under the brunette's chin. Dipper sighed softly and stroked the blond man's fluffy hair.

"Are you leaving?" Bill mumbled into Dipper's shirt, barely audible to the other.

"I won't if you don't want me to," he responded, tracing circled on his back.

"I'll never want you to leave," the blond retorted.

"Then I guess that means I have to go," Dipper sighed and began to pull away. Bill's grip suddenly got tighter.

"Why?" his voice sounded stressed as if he'll never see him again. Dipper leaned down and Bill's forehead.

"I haven't seen my family in a few days," he commented. "You'll see me again, right?"

"I hope so," Bill's arms relaxed and he released the younger male. "Thank you for staying with me."

"Thank you for having me," Dipper cupped Bill's cheek and gave him a soft smile. He didn't know if it was still just being tired but Bill's skin was oddly softer than usual, giving him a more innocent face as he stared back up at the brunette. An urge to kiss the other male hit Dipper but he pulled himself away before it got too strong, knowing that these were the emotions he didn't have control over.

Dipper got up and walked to the exit, hearing a weak "Good-bye" from the man on the bed. In a matter of minutes, Dipper was out of the apartment and on his way home. This was the first time he was apart from the blond man and it felt _weird_ to him. Like something was missing. On his way home, he thought about the events from the morning.

' _He likes me_ ,' he told himself. That was obvious. ' _There's no way I don't like him back in the same way, I mean, that kiss! What the fuck!'_

His thoughts began to make him feel a bit dizzy and once he got back to the Shack, it was just past 7 AM. While both of his Grunkles were still asleep, Mabel was already up and cooking breakfast. The girl turned around and saw her brother walking in and immediately ran to his side.

"Welcome back Bro-Bro!" she greeted with a welcoming smile. She gave him a hug before pulling him into the kitchen.

"Hey Mabel," he mumbled and hugged back, following without a thought. Dipper placed his bag on the ground and sat at the table.

"So," she raised her eyebrows at him, getting down coffee cups for them. "How was it? What did you guys do? How far did you do?"

Dipper furrowed his brows a bit. "How far? What do you mean?" he asked accusingly.

"Just tell me what happened," she giggled.

"Everything was great," he began. Every story that Bill had told him were completely retold to his sister about his time in Portland. Afterward, he let her know about their shows and about their high adventures into hours of listening to Bill's critiques. Up until the morning events.

"You're home kind of early," she commented. "If you were having such a great time, why didn't you stay? It sounded like he likes you, don't you think?" She leaned over the table with her coffee in her hand, already have given him his while he was speaking. "He was probably wanting another date day!"

"None of this was a date," he pressed. "I-I don't know, honestly."

"Don't know about what?" Mabel questioned.

"I don't understand what I'm supposed to do right now," Dipper mumbled. "I had plans, I stick to my plans. The last time I didn't, I lost my interest in everything I loved. I don't want to go through that again."

"What makes you think you'll go through that again?" she questioned again. "He could actually be the one for you, don't just pass this by! I never seen you so wrapped up into one person before."

"I've dated people in the past, you know," he tried to scold. "I know what it's like to want to date someone. But _this_? No, _this_ is different. I think about him _way_ more than I ever have with any of them. I feel like I'm being possessed."

Mabel sighed and started to shake her head, tilting it to the side. "Honey," she purred. "You love him."

"Hell no," he narrowed his eyes and shook his head rapidly. "No, I don't _love_ him."

"Then I don't know how you felt when you 'dated' those other people," she rolled her eyes.

"Excuse me?" he scoffed. "What are you talking about?"

"Did you actually _like_ those people that you dated?" she leaned back against the table to get a bit closer.

"What are you talking about?" he questioned again.

"Dipper," she groaned. "Did you have butterflies? Think about them all day? Wish to be by their side? Love being with them? Comfortable silence? Having urges to cuddle and kiss?"

Dipper's face flushed and he looked down. "I did," he spoke calmly. "But with him, it's so much stronger. With everyone else, it was easier to be distracted. But him? He's everywhere. I can't just not think about him."

"Have you told him this?" Mabel asked softly.

"I-I think…" he answered but shook his head. "I have a _plan_ Mabel, I can't go against my plan!"

"Have you tried working him into your plan?" she suggested. Dipper looked up to her with a confused expression. "Dating usually doesn't take too much time," she explained. "Just having set times and days to spend time with each other to feed the relationship is what makes a relationship last."

"Neither of us knows anything about balance," he replied. "He asked me to move in and I kissed him. That's moving faster than I would want, I need to focus on school."

"How many classes are you planning on taking before starting your book?" Mabel questioned.

"I was going to outline the story then start writing it when the next semester starts," he explained.

"Are you going to school next semester?"

"I didn't decide fully yet," he admitted.

"Perfect," she shrugged. "You don't have to go back. Work in the gift shop and work on your story, then you'll have time for a relationship with him."

"What?" Dipper asked, feeling a bit taken aback from how calm and cool his sister was about this.

"I'm saying," she rolled her eyes and giggled a bit. "Don't go back to school anymore, you don't have to anyways. This way for that class, you don't really need it. Just start writing, you have an expert as a boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend," he remarked.

"Yet," she pointed at him and giggled again. Dipper rubbed his hands together and sighed heavily.

"Should I go back to him?" he asked softly.

"I would probably just text him for now," she nodded.

"Date after this semester?" he questioned, making sure he got her message properly.

"Only if you want it to go slow," she explained. "I think you should date him but you want to hold yourself from that and that's fine, you do you. But don't torture the poor guy."

"Mabel," he chuckled a bit. "You realize he is the one that made us suffer when we were little, right?"

"Yes," she shrugged. "But he's obviously not the same. He obviously cares about you. So what's the problem?"

"I just explained…" he grumbled and lied his forehead on the table.

"And I said fit him in," she shot back. "But if you absolutely cannot, don't go back to the school next semester. Unless you don't want love."

Dipper sighed softly and nodded slowly, grabbing his bag from the floor before heading upstairs. He got to his room without running into either of his Grunkles and lied down on his cold, abandoned bed. A jingle from his phone went off, alerting him of a message. Quickly, he retrieved the device and smiled when he saw Bill's name on his phone.

 _Bill:_

 _7:56 AM_

 _You forgot something._

Dipper pouted and thought about everything he grabbed, feeling like he remembered everything.

 _Dipper:_

 _7:56 AM_

 _What did I forget?_

He held onto his phone and stared at the chat until he got a response.

 _Bill:_

 _7:57 AM_

 _My heart._

A smile grew on Dipper's face, feeling a blush rise to his cheeks.

 _Dipper:_

 _7:57 AM_

 _I'll remember to pick that up next time._

The next response was almost immediate.

 _Bill:_

 _7:57 AM_

 _There's a "next time?"_

 _Dipper:_

 _7:57 AM_

 _I wouldn't give up visiting you for anything._

 _Bill:_

 _7:57 AM_

 _I'm holding you to that. Come over tomorrow!_

Dipper smiled more and brought his phone to his chest, allowing his mind to imagine it to be the blond man.


	16. Chapter 16

Seeing Bill in person again wasn't as awkward that Dipper had first expected it to be. After explaining his concerns to the former demon, they agreed to wait until the semester had ended to move their relationship forward. That didn't stop the two from seeing each other nearly every day, even if it were for only a few hours, but it did stop them from giving anymore kisses to each other. Dipper wouldn't admit it out loud, but every time he left without kissing the blond man, he would leave feeling rather upset. The time spent with Bill never felt like enough for the brunette and he began to question himself when he started to feel this way. When did he start looking at this ex-demon as not just a friend or companion, but rather as a potential lover? Sometimes he would get nauseous when he got caught up in his thoughts, especially if he was around his Grunkles. While he knew Mabel supported him, he knew he wouldn't get the same treatment from his family.

A few days before the break was over, Bill was able to go back to the school to listen to the student's songs. Some of the songs didn't sound right to him, causing him to stay at the school to make sure the students weren't being screwed over by the other teacher that was supposed to produce the best tracks for his students. A few songs were off with the beat, something Bill found to be the easiest job but somehow, the other professor just skimmed over it. The more he went through the songs the other professor did, the more annoyed he got. For the last few days of break, Dipper could find the blond man in the studio, working on fixing the obvious mistakes from the other professor.

Today he was going back to school and saying he was anxious wouldn't properly describe how the brunette felt upon returning. Leaving for the break, Dipper was stressed out, confused, worried, and drained. Coming back from break, he was now nervous, worried, excited, and antsy. He began wondering how Bill would act in class; would he go back to the robotic, polite professor? Or will he bring his personality back and include it in his teaching? Other than the occasional inappropriate comments, Dipper loved Bill's humor. Although, part of him also wondered if the former demon saved his true self for him only.

While heading to class with Mabel, Dipper felt his stomach tie into a knot as he passed other students. He stared at the ground while he walked and listened to his sister ramble on about how Pacifica was planning on taking her on a trip the following summer. The details were being tuned out while Dipper's brain sunk into more thoughts about his professor.

Suddenly, he was ripped out of his thoughts when someone ran straight into him. Jumping quickly, Dipper took a step back and stared at the random person with a confused expression. It was a girl with long, curly blond hair with bangs resting across her forehead. She stepped back as well and grabbed her phone closer to her chest, blushing profusely. Her wide blue eyes teared up a bit and she slid her phone into her book bag that was hanging from her shoulder. She was wearing a black dress with a thick grey coat over and had winter leggings on. Her outfit confused him a bit, thinking she should probably just wear pants instead of just leggings. Her boots were flat and brown, reaching up to her knees.

"I-I'm so sorry!" she bowed in front of Dipper lowly, confusing him even more. Her voice had a thick British accent. "I-I was l-looking at my phone and—" she stuttered over her words while staring at the ground. "Please forgive me!" she cried out.

Dipper shot a confused look to Mabel who looked just as confused and shrugged to her brother. "You're okay," he sighed a bit and touched her shoulders to make her straighten up. "I'm not mad," he explained and she stared up at him silently. The brunette male started to feel awkward from how she was staring at him and he took a step to the side and gave her a gentle smile. "Bye," he mumbled before taking his sister's arm and walking away.

"Who was that?" Mabel asked once they entered the music building.

"I don't know," he shrugged. "I've never seen her before."

"Is she a new student?" his sister asked.

"I doubt," he shook his head. "Joining this late in the semester? No, she would have been told to wait for Spring."

"She's beautiful," Mabel commented.

"You have a girlfriend," Dipper remarked.

"I know," Mabel scoffed, smiling a bit. "She will never touch Pacifica's beauty. Just pointing out the obvious."

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes and they entered their class.

The class filled up within a matter of minutes and Bill sat patiently in the middle of the room with Andrew, of course, in his proper seat. Some students walked up to him and welcomed him back, asking how he was doing before returning to their seats. The wound on Bill's head was finally healed so he no longer had to wear a bandage.

Once class began, Bill waved to every and smiled sweetly. "Welcome back!" he greeted and some of the other students greeted back with waves or cheers, some even attempting to say "Hello" back as well. "I'm glad to see everyone is back and ready to work!" he cheered with some of the students, clapping as well. "For those of you that have been here already, this will come as no surprise," he stood up and pulled a stack of papers out of a folder that was on the small table he had in the middle. "For those of you who are new," Bill's eyes fell to Dipper's, smiling wider. "This might be a bit of a shocker. At the end of this semester, we are going to put on a concert!" The students in the class began cheering and clapping, Mabel even joined them. But Dipper? Oh no, he sunk into his seat and groaned lowly. Bill waved the papers around and the students started to calm down, allowing him to continue. "As of tomorrow, we will be meeting up with all of the other classes and you will be in charge of putting together a performance for your songs. You guys will be sharing some band members, but you will also have dancers with you. While you are not obligated to dance with them, you are required to work with them to put on a good performance. This will be counted towards your final grade but keep in mind that music producers will actually show up, looking for young talent," he finished, allowing the students to begin cheering again.

Dipper was frozen in his seat while Mabel was cheering happily with the others. She looked at her brother with glee sparkling in her eyes. "DIPPER!" she squealed. "We're gonna be SINGERS!"

Shaking his head quickly, Dipper felt dread and embarrassment fill his stomach and chest. Performing on stage? All eyes on him? Singing? An original song? With other performers? Dancers? People relying on him? Multiple thoughts were racing through Dipper's mind and he began to feel lightheaded. His heart began to race quickly and hard in his throat and ears and he began hyperventilating, his brain not acknowledging the oxygen he was trying to breathe in. Feeling dazed and faint, he swung his head to look at his sister who was still staring at him. Fortunately, Mabel caught on quickly and waved her hand to get Bill's attention.

"BI-" Mabel stopped herself and cleared her throat before attempting to shout over the other students, "MR. CIPHER!"

A few students around them stopped cheering and looked back, seeing the brunette boy's pale face that was now drenched in sweat. Dipper tried to push himself to stand but nearly fell over, Mabel catching him before he could. The students gasped together and turned to Bill. The brunette tried again and turned to face the exit, now feeling thankful to be taking up one of the furthest seats. Unfortunately, his legs were too weak and he was far too dizzy. A rush of cold chills ran down his body and his sight began to black out. Once again, Mabel caught her brother and held him close before sitting down on the floor and had him lean his weight on her.

"Professor!" a few students started calling him, grabbing his attention from the loud crowd.

Bill's eyes went straight up to Dipper and he placed the papers down on his chair for a moment before waving to his students to calm down. While he was attempting this, he was already moving up the seats towards the young student. The class quickly calming down, noticing something was wrong. Once Bill got to Dipper's side, the brunette felt like throwing up and was sickly cold.

"What's wrong?" Bill asked in the calmest voice he could manage, sitting next to the brunette. He knew the class was looking at them so he was very careful to keep the physical touch to a minimum, sticking to just rubbing Dipper's back. He was leaning against his sister with tears in his eyes, feeling his body shake from the cold and anxiety.

"Anxiety attack," Mabel explained, her voice dripping with concern and worry for her brother.

Suddenly, without the trio noticing, Wendy slid next them and rubbed Dipper's back along with the professor.

"Hey, dude. Remember, you're safe," her voice was low and soft. Dipper looked towards her a bit and soon the touches were soothing away the stress and anxiety that plunged itself into him. "Look at us," she continued. "You're here with us, you're safe." Dipper's eyes darted between the two for a few minutes, eyes full of tears threatening to fall. Bill watched as the redhead continued to calm the boy down but kept his hand rubbing the brunette's back. "Close your eyes and breathe slowly. Be here, at this moment. Don't look ahead," she rubbed circles in his back, watching him relax under her touch. The brown eyes fell on the former demon again, feeling almost desperate to be held against his chest instead of his sister's.

"Close your eyes," Bill repeated what Red had said. "Listen to her."

Wendy gave him a smile and continued speaking calmly towards Dipper, making sure he was listening to what she was saying to him.

The class remained silent as Dipper finally started to breathe normally. While Bill half regretted stopping class just for this, he also was planning on turning this into a lesson for everyone. Once the color returned to the smaller male's face, the professor pushed himself up and walked to the center of the room and faced the class. He appreciated seeing Wendy handle the boy's attack.

"I'm going to assume that was over stage fright," his voice was calm but loud enough to travel to the others. "Fear is going to be very common throughout this last month. Especially if you don't fully love your song. Please know that it'll be okay," he smiled softly. "I don't want you guys to feel more stress than you will already have from the performance. If you feel like you are going to break down, there is a therapist here that will help. This is going to be a test of how well you guys can handle being a performer, not just singers."

Mabel got Dipper to sit at his desk again, now feeling a bit calmer. The boy's head still felt fuzzy but he didn't want to leave the class. Watching Bill was part of what was keeping him calm. Wendy stayed with them, pulling up a chair to sit behind them to keep an eye on Dipper.

"Let's talk about the songs you guys recorded now," he smiled when a few students cheered a bit, obviously quieter than the first time. Everyone was now cautious of the anxious student. "I might be biased, but I don't think some of the songs done by the other professor has the idea that a lot of you guys have for your pieces. Because of that, the students that were helped need to stay with me and the rest of you guys will be able to start your rehearsals."

As if someone was spying on the class, someone walked into the class right after he was done speaking.

"We're ready when you guys are," she called down to the blond professor.

Bill began handing out the flyers he was holding earlier, the paper had the names of all of the performers for the singers to go through along with the band names. Once everyone had their papers, they left to follow the teacher that walked in. Dipper, along with a handful of students, stayed seated via a request from having a different professor help produce their songs. Bill motioned for all of them to get closer before guiding them to the studio.

"Okay," he started to speak while the other students walked around him, Dipper staying close to his side without touching him. "I don't really like how some of your songs were edited so I want to take you guys in, we'll go through your songs, and I'll probably have you rerecord some of your notes. Did she coach you guys at all while you were in the studio?" Bill glanced around to his students, all of them shaking their heads. "Did you guys hear your finish pieces?" Again, they all shook their heads. The professor gave out an irritated sigh and rolled his eyes. "Of course not," he mumbled. "I'm sorry I wasn't here," he spoke apologetically. "I would have made sure your songs were perfect," he continued. "Exactly how you guys want them."

"I thought something was weird," one student commented. "I even asked to hear it and she said I have to wait for you to come back."

"Sounds like she didn't actually want to help," another added. "I was actually going to ask if I can rerecord my entire song if possible."

"I-it's not your fault," Dipper add in a weak voice.

"You okay, man?" the third student asked towards Dipper, making him jerk a bit in shock.

"U-Uh," he started, biting his bottom lip again. "I-I will be…"

"Scared of performing?" Bill asked softly. Dipper nodded.

"Don't worry about it!" the first student chimed in. "Just imagine everyone's naked. It helped me!"

"Don't listen to that," the third student rolled his eyes. "What helped me was focusing on performing specifically for someone. Last semester, I focused on my girlfriend. Got me through, easy."

They arrived at the studio and Bill started going through the students one-by-one. Once the student was done, they sat back down on the couch that was meant for a waiting area and allowed another student to go on in. Dipper was one of the last students to go in and fix some of the notes. He found out that the professor had a better idea at how he wanted the instrumental to be, and even made him sing some of the ridiculous notes that will be heard before the first verse began. After the last student rerecorded his piece, Bill brought the students back in one-by-one again in the same order to put together the 'masterpieces' in Bill's mind.

Once it was Dipper's turn, he sat nervously next to the professor who was pulling up the files on the master computer for the music. The music that was recorded before was good enough in Bill's opinion that it didn't need too much fixing. His main goal for Dipper was to correct some of the off-key notes. With violins, guitars, some drum beats, and piano made the song actually sound kind of _good_ in Dipper's ears. Although he was nervous, his voice wasn't too shaky in the audio recording surprisingly. Dipper's song was completed rather quickly, leaving the rest of the class time to find the others and find a group. Bill burned the song onto a disc and he worked with the last student who wanted a complete redo during the remaining time.

It wasn't too hard to find Mabel considering her voice traveled far. All of the students were inside a giant dancing studio with mirrors on every wall. All the dancers wore black from head to toe and the females had their hair tied in buns. Every singer had a few dancers with them while there were still about five more dancers waiting to get picked by the remaining singers that needed to pick still. She was speaking to three people in front of her, listening to her direction for her performance. Of course, she would already have the performance thought out. If she didn't, Dipper would probably question if she was someone else pretending to be his sister. Not wanting to disturb her too much, he went up to the waiting dancers and nervously waved to them. One of them though, Dipper was able to recognize. It was the blond girl from earlier, but with articles of different clothing and with her curly hair tied up. She blushed when she recognized him as well, staring at the ground flustered.

"H-Hi," he greeted the dancers, giving a small wave. The other dancers waved back and one grabbed a device that resembled a CD player with a speaker. Confused, he took the device and glanced at that dancer.

"Let's hear what you recorded," a male dancer smiled sweetly, motioning towards the player.

Dipper placed his CD inside and waited a few moments before hearing his recorded song start playing for the others. He watched their reactions as a few of the dancers listened, swaying a bit to the music.

"Did you have any ideas for how you wanted your performance to go?" the blond girl asked, her voice almost sounded like they were singing in his ears.

"I-I'm not sure," he hesitated. "Maybe just story telling. I don't know how many people I need."

"Are you planning on dancing with or just standing to the side or something?" another dancer asked, this one was another male.

"I can't dance," he mumbled. The male smiled and looked at the girl.

"I think I can help," he stated and nodded towards her. "What about you, Mia?"

The blond girl looked at the male and smiled back. "Yeah," she confirmed then looked at Dipper, her smile growing more. "Can we be your dancers?"

"That'll leave the three of us to the last guy," the other male dancer explained, motioning to the dancers that were silent.

"Then yeah," Dipper's heart raced a bit, feeling nervous about being in charge of a group. "I'm Dipper Pines, by the way."

"I'm Mia Lilly," she bit her bottom lip while looking at the brunette boy.

"I'm Thomas Darling," the guy introduced himself. The guy had ashy blond hair, his hair gradually getting darker to his root.

The trio moved to one of the very few opened parts of the room and he played the music, explaining ways the song can be interrupted. The dance stuck to main ballet but with some hip-hop mixed in. They settled with the story of a young couple struggling with their relationship but coming together in the end.

At the end of class, both of the dancers felt very relaxed with Dipper and were more willing to work on the dance outside of school. Although they knew they would have their class time to practice, Mia insisted on them hanging out to practice more. Dipper felt a little weird giving his number to the girl and guy, even more so when he got their numbers in return.

The weird feeling in Dipper's stomach didn't fade away as the day went on. By the time Bill was done with his last class, Dipper was waiting outside of the school next to the same tree he was next to the day after being approached by Andrew. While waiting for the blond profess, he saw Mia start leaving the campus. Unfortunately, she also saw Dipper and immediately ran up to him. The brunette attempted to avoid eye contact, not wanting her to realize that he also noticed her. She was in front of the boy in a matter second with a wide grin on her face.

"Hey, Dipper!" she greeted, smiling brightly up to him. He gave her a small smile as a greeting. "What are you doing here?" she questioned. "Are you done with classes?"

"Y-Yeah," he stuttered, attempting to find a quick answer. "I-I'm just hanging out, w-waiting for… Someone," he mumbled, hoping she wouldn't catch it. Instead, she did and he watched as her cheeks tinted.

"R-really?" she asked with her voice full of excitement. Part of Dipper told him she probably thought he was waiting for her. "You're so sweet!" she cheered and giggled.

In the corner of his eye, he saw a figure walk past the duo and Dipper looked up to see Bill walking towards the crosswalk. The blond man glanced back and stared at Dipper with a blank expression before turning back in front of himself. Quickly, Dipper bit his bottom lip and bowed his head a bit to Mia.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

Mia looked confused but watched Dipper walk away from her and towards the crosswalk as well. She noticed the blond professor and gasped softly, now running up to the other male and passed Dipper.

"Mr. Cipher!" she greeted, stopping him in his tracks. Bill gave her a small smile.

"Hello, Mia," he greeted. Dipper stopped in his tracks and felt confused about what to do. She started chatting away to the professor about joining his class the following semester, explaining how excited she was to work with him.

While they spoke, Dipper felt himself growing impatient and a bit envious and crossed the street without the blond male. This was an attempt to not look like he was waiting for her to finish speaking with him. Halfway down the block though, Dipper stopped walking and looked back at how far he walked to wait for the blond male to catch up.

After roughly ten minutes, he saw the blond male walking towards him looking more exhausted than he did before. Once he caught up, Dipper had to fight the urge to hug the taller male.

"How did that go?" Dipper asked, raising an eyebrow.

"She started asking about you when you walked away," Bill nearly spat, sounding annoyed.

"What?" Dipper was now confused. "What was she saying?"

"She started by saying I did a good job with your song," he started to speak, walking a bit faster in attempt to get away from the school faster. "But then started going on and on about how she feels lucky to have a cute singer in charge of the performance compared to last year. I don't know why she's talking about this with me, I'm not a student. I told her this and she still kept going on and on."

"Are you sure you didn't want to talk about that because you're a professor?" Dipper questioned. Bill glared at him playfully, sticking his tongue out. The former demon's actions confirmed the brunette's suspicions and he allowed himself to smile. "Is someone jealous?"

"I'm not jealous!" Bill argued back, his face now starting to tint pink. "Why would I be jealous over her? I'm better in every way."

"Okay, okay," Dipper was chuckling at how flustered the older man looked.

"What?" the blonde scoffed. "Do you like her? Do you think she's cute? Cuter than me?" he began questioning, his voice growing darker and darker with every question.

"Bill," Dipper couldn't help but chuckle at how Bill was pouting at him. "You're the only one I think about," he explained calmly, looking around cautiously before sliding his hand inside of Bill's, intertwining their fingers together. In return, Bill squeezed his hand and bowed his head a bit.

"She better not take you from me," he grumbled lowly.

For the rest of the walk, Dipper told Bill about his plans for the performance. He attempted to get some tips out of the former demon on what he should do but was rejected, stating all students were allowed to express themselves as artists. Back at Bill's apartment, Dipper was pulled in and he willingly sat on the couch with the professor.

Now in their private space, Bill didn't hold himself back from pulling the boy to his chest and forced him to lay on the couch to cuddle. Although Dipper didn't mind the touch too much, he still felt very nervous about being so close to the other. Bill's angelic face was millimeters away from his own, forcing his face to flush and the urge to kiss the blond hit Dipper with full force. Now they were alone, in the comfort of Bill's living room. Andrew tucked away in his room, Mia now in view of the very jealous man, and no possibility of getting seen by other students.

"Promise me something," Bill mumbled against Dipper's lips. They were staring into each other's eyes, the blond staring and searching for an answer and the brunette staring directly at the dot in his iris.

"What is it?" Dipper's voice was soft, his lips dangerously scooting closer to the blond man's.

"Promise me that you're mine," the former demon's voice was determined, not wanting no for an answer. "Even if you aren't giving us that official name," he continued, tightening his grip on the brunette's small figure. "No matter how someone tries to flirt or take you, please remember me."

Dipper felt himself smile and placed a hand on the blond man's cheek. "Of course," he mumbled and stroked the soft skin. "But you have to promise me the same thing."

Bill's eyes smiled with him and he closed the distance between them, giving the younger male a loving kiss. Once the blond man pulled away, he looked into his eyes.

"Deal."


	17. Chapter 17

Something strange was happening. While Dipper is certain he has never seen Mia around campus before, now she was _literally_ everywhere. Even in the class he shared with Pacifica. Although she didn't sit near them, she still went out of the way to greet him before the class started every day for the first week of December. That also meant every day while he waited outside of the school for the blond professor, he would just _happen_ to run into her. Truth be told, Dipper's mind immediately suspected Andrew had to do with the weird girl suddenly popping up. Every day, he would wait in a different spot. Until Wednesday when he decided with Bill prior to meet up at a small gas station not too far from the school. While Bill no longer had to deal with her brags over how cute the brunette is, his sister was not so fortunate. Mabel was nice to her, thinking Mia to be a very beautiful young woman that just wanted to be loved. His sister did what she could to keep the conversation away from her brother and even tried keeping the topic of him strictly with the performance; but she always ended up quietly listening to the girl's giggling in the end. Her infatuation with Dipper didn't mean anything to the boy, instead he actually enjoyed her company in school. It was outside of school that bugged him. That was obviously because he wanted to spend this time wallowing in his secret with the professor, away from other student's eyes.

During his writing class on Wednesday, something caught his eye. Bill was walking around in class and started to ask a few questions to the students but was very hesitant to pick on someone. He stood there for a few moments while some students throughout the class were silently waiting to be called on and just looked around. Confusion flashed over his features and mumbled something before squinting a bit then calling one of the student's names that had their hand raised. These actions were weird to Dipper, it was as if the blond couldn't _see_ for a moment there.

This also started to happen at the rehearsals every morning since. When Dipper got the chance to step away from Mia and Thomas, he would find Bill working with the student that had asked him to sing one verse. Of course, Bill was being her 'puppet' and not giving her any ideas for the performance. But there were times when he would catch Bill walking up and looking around for long periods of time before finding the female student. Worse part? The entire time he was looking, she was calling his name and waving wildly. He was facing the sounds but didn't move towards the waving girl. Dipper watched the girl walk up to him while still waving. Once she was a bit closer, realization hit Bill and he walked up to her.

Very bizarre.

On the walk home Friday night, Dipper pondered on bring it up to the other man or not. Once they got into Bill's apartment for their now-scheduled-cuddle-session, the brunette couldn't help but let the question slide past his lips. Once they were out in the opened, Bill began chewing on the inside of his lip.

"Some of the students are starting to look blurry to me," he admitted in a soft voice. "I don't know, maybe I'm not getting enough sleep."

"How often are you sleeping?" Dipper asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I try ever night," the blond shrugged and looked away.

"Try?" the brunette questioned.

"Yeah," he confirmed, wanting the topic to be dropped.

"Are you not sleeping?" Dipper pressed. Bill narrowed his eyes.

"I said I try," the former demon covered his face with his hands. "It's not my fault if I don't."

"How many hours of sleep do you get a night?" the brunette questioned, sitting up a bit to get a better look at the other.

"If I get any," he sighed and thought for a moment before continuing, "probably about two."

"Two hours?!" Dipper stressed, gasping a bit. "How? When I was here, you slept throughout the night!"

"How am I supposed to know?" Bill narrowed his eyes and sighed. "Sometimes this happens, I go a while without sleeping. This time is just different because smoking isn't helping."

Dipper's mind raced for a solution, trying to process how little the professor had been sleeping.

"I can stay," he suggested in a soft tone. The blond man stared up at the brunette with a bit of a shocked expression.

"What?" he shook his head. "No, you have a home, don't pity me" the former demon tried to sit up but was pushed back down onto the bed by the younger male. "I would much rather you move in when you want to be with me, not because I can't sleep."

"You need sleep," Dipper insisted firmly. "If you really can't sleep then maybe I can help. You slept fine when I was here, so it shouldn't hurt. I-I…" the brunette trailed off and bit his bottom lip, staring at the blond.

"I think you forget," he grumbled a bit harshly. "Remember? I'm not a part of your _plan_ , you didn't want to move in before. Don't let pity make you move in now. I don't want it."

"I can still have my plan," Dipper pressed. "I just need to adjust it a bit. Look at you, you're a wreck. You need to sleep. If I need to be here to make you sleep, I will. If you won't let me, then I'll just refuse to leave."

Bill stayed silent for a few minutes while staring up into the other's wide brown eyes. Dipper took this chance to lean down and press a gentle kiss to the other's lips, causing the blond to gasp and blush profusely. Once their lips parted, the former demon's eyes were half-lidded and in a daze.

"You win," he whispered softly against Dipper's lips. The brunette smiled and kissed Bill's lips again.

It wasn't hard for Mabel to be okay with him temporarily move in with Bill but it took a lot of convincing to Ford to understand the benefits from it. In the elder man's eyes, while Bill may no longer be a demon, he could still be dangerous. Thanks to having Mabel on his side, they both were able to have him understand the _human_ aspect on why Dipper was choosing his actions. While he was still uneasy about the decision, he caved in and told him to wait around so he could get together a new weapon for his stay.

Dipper was packing up some clothes into one of his suitcases with Mabel, who was talking on and on about what she was doing for Pacifica's Christmas gift. Christmas was coming up and the brunette silently wondered what he should do for Bill. Of course, he knew the blond didn't want anything, but that didn't matter. Dipper was determined to get the former demon a small gift.

"What should I get Bill?" Dipper asked his sister suddenly, knowing she would have some good ideas. Mabel thought a bit, looking through some of the brunette's nicer clothing that were usually saved for special occasions.

"What does he like?" she asked curiously. Her brother thought for a few moments before humming.

"Music instruments, weed, take-out, movies-" Dipper was cut off when Mabel started shaking her hands.

"Boring," she commented. "What's something he doesn't have?"

"I doubt he'll take anything new," he shrugged. "Do you know anyone that sells weed? I can just get him that."

"And trust a stranger?" she raised an eyebrow, pausing. "I don't know anyone and I'm not interested in looking."

Dipper sighed and thought harder. Was there something they talked about before? Anything that stood out?

"You can give him experience," Mabel's voice pulled the brunette male out of his thoughts. "Like a day trip out of town."

"I can barely talk him into getting into a car for a few minutes," he stated bluntly. "Not really wanting to walk to anything that's out of Gravity Falls."

"Then get him a fish," she rolled her eyes. The idea caught Dipper off guard. "Actually, a pig! One like Waddles!"

"He lives in an apartment," Dipper shook his head. "But you gave me a good idea."

"Share it," she smiled sweetly to her brother, handing him a few nice shirts.

"Back when I started walking him home," he began to explain. "He mentioned having a fish and I think a hamster. They both died but maybe we can get him a more independent pet?"

"A kitten?!" Mabel suddenly squealed, suddenly to her feet and jumping from one leg to the other.

"Calm down," Dipper chuckled at his sister's reaction and stood up as well, placing the last of the clothes in the bag. "Yes, but it has to be on the down-low."

"There's a shelter at the edge of town, let's go before you move in!" she started pulling at his arm towards the door. Dipper quickly pulled his arm away and stopped her from pulling him.

"No," he shook his head. "Stop, not today. It's not even close to Christmas yet!"

"Oh come on!" she whined, stomping on the ground like a toddler. "It can take a while before you can take the kitty home, we should go now!" Dipper sighed and rubbed his face.

"Let me finish packing, then yes" he sighed when she squealed in excitement again.

"I have to call Pacifica!" she darted out of the room with her phone already in her hands.

Sighing to himself, he looked around for a few more minutes before sliding his old pine tree hat and exiting the room with his bags. Stan was walking up the stairs by the time Dipper left his room, feeling his heart drop to his stomach in dread at the sight of his Grunkle.

"Really going, huh?" he questioned in a rough, saddened voice. Dipper nodded and stayed silent, halting in his steps. "You trust him that much?" he pressed. The younger male nodded once again, still remaining silent. Stan sighed heavily and stared at the floor for a few long minutes before stepping to the side to let him leave. "You can bring him over for Christmas. Your parents are coming."

Dipper widened his eyes and gasped softly, feeling his heart start racing. "W-what?" he pondered. "Are you serious?"

Stan nodded slowly. "You trust that demon enough to live with him," he explained. "I think I'll give your trust a shot. Don't let me down."

Dipper grinned widely and placed his bags down before wrapping his arms around the elder. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!" he cheered happily while holding onto him. Stan hugged the younger male back for a moment before pulling away.

"Now, get going, kid," he motioned towards the stairs. "Mabel's down there waiting."

Dipper grabbed his bags and bolted down, feeling a new burst of excitement in his chest.

Before heading to the shelter, Dipper dropped his items off and told Bill he was going to get some groceries. Now that he would be living in the apartment, the first thing he wanted to change was the blond man's eating habits. Plus, it was a perfect lie to get out of the apartment even though he did plan on getting food.

First on his list was visiting the animal shelter for a kitten. Upon arriving, they were asked to clean their hands before touching any of the small kittens. There were a few new momma cats that were brought in with new liters, one batch was expected to be adoptable in a week. The kittens ranged from short to long and their coats were blush white.

"Their momma was surrendered," one of the workers explained, opening the cage to allow Dipper and Mable to have a closer look. "The owner passed away and her parents couldn't take her kitty in, sadly she was pregnant too so they were too worried about giving her up to anyone."

"Do you know what breed she was?" Mabel questioned softly, running her hand over one of the kitten's soft fur. Said kitten started to sniff her finger and attempted to climb her hands.

"We don't know for certain," the worker began. "But one of my co-workers thinks she's a Ragdoll."

Mabel gasped softly and beamed at Dipper. "This would be perfect!" she cheered.

"This is the first batch we've seen," Dipper tried to reason with her but looked at the kittens. "They are cute though," he mumbled and watched one of the kittens perk their head up to look at him. They stared at each other for a few moments before the kitten stretched and crawled away from its' resting position. The small kitten walked closer to Dipper and sat down, staring up at him with its' wide eyes. Interesting. One eye was blue while the other eye was honey yellow.

"Is that one deaf?" Mabel suddenly asked. "I read about multicolored eyes in cats, doesn't that mean they're deaf?"

"Sometimes," the employee nodded. "But she's not, we already checked that for the same reason as you said."

"It's a girl?" Dipper questioned, pointing a finger at the kitten. The small creature reached over and began sniffing his finger. After a few moments, the kitten moved her head against his finger.

"Yes," they smiled. "Looks like she likes you."

"Then we'll take this one then," the brunette girl concluded.

Next on his list, was groceries. Mabel tagged along with Dipper to help pay, knowing it wasn't going to just be a small trip. Bill gave him some cash before he left again but didn't think it would be enough, considering how little food Bill had. By the end of the trip, they had dozens of different foods to make multiple different meals, including a few bottles of alcohol. He also made sure to pick up new pots and pans. By the time they arrived back to the apartment, Bill had to even get Andrew help bring the bags of groceries in. Throughout bringing the food in, the professor consistently asked Mabel how much she paid but she refused to tell him the total. In her mind, as long as Dipper was eating, she didn't care how much it was. She still ran her online business, it wasn't like she didn't have a job herself.

By the time they were done, Dipper turned the stove on, for the first time in months for Bill, and actually successfully made a full dinner. Andrew stayed out of the room for this, surprisingly. His presence was awkward, but he stayed silent. Mainly, he just stood there, watching everything that happened. With the extra company, Bill was scampering around the apartment, trying to figure out seating arrangements. The table from Thanksgiving was set up again but he knew it wasn't big enough for all four of them. Unfortunately, Bill only had two chairs. In the end, the table ended up being used as a serving table for the food. While Dipper cooked and Bill tried to set the place up, Mabel made Andrew help put the food away in the empty cupboards and fridge.

Dipper ended up making tacos for everyone. One plate held flour tortillas, another held cooked corn tortillas wrapped in foil, next to that was a dish with ground turkey with a cover on, and next to that was another dish similar but with shredded chicken inside instead. There were bowls of salsa, jalapenos, chips, and bottles of different hot sauces. Extra plates were placed on the side of the table and everyone began to dish up.

Andrew migrated back into his room after making his plate and Mabel occupied one end of the couch after hers. Bill sat on the other end of the couch so Dipper placed himself between his sister and almost-lover. It was then when Dipper fully realized how nervous he was about the three of them together. His sister turned on the TV, looking through the list of shows that were playing before settling on the Animal Planet channel. For, of course, _no apparent reason._

"This is perfect," Mabel was still beaming. "You guys are cute." Dipper blushed and looked over to Bill, who was staring down at his food with a blush on his face, trying to eat.

"Hush," Dipper prodded her in her side, causing her to squeal a bit and giggle. "Eat," he demanded, light-heartedly.

Once Bill was done eating, he stood and Dipper watched him with a confused expression. Something felt a bit off so Dipper stood as well and followed him, leaving his sister on the couch watching the show and eating alone. The blond man began cleaning the dishes once he got to the sink and the younger male started to feel a bit nervous. Slowly, Dipper wrapped his arms around the professor's waist and rest his chin on his shoulder.

"What's wrong?" the brunette whispered into the blond man's ear. Bill didn't turn around but he did lean back against Dipper's chest a bit.

"Just tired," he responded softly, almost robotically. Dipper grabbed Bill's wrists and stopped him from cleaning the dishes. The brunette took the items out of his hands and pulled him away from the sink. Dipper pulled him in front of the oven and dried their hands with the dish towel. Bill didn't fight the brunette and truly looked exhausted. Dipper sighed softly and cradled the blond man's face with his hands.

"Go lay down," he told the former demon. "I'll join you soon, just go to bed."

Bill's honey eyes closed as he nodded, his body slowly moving towards his bedroom. Dipper went back to his sister and finished his dinner. Once they finished eating, she helped him clean up and wished him luck before leaving the apartment to head home.

Dipper locked the apartment up and began making his way to Bill's bedroom when Andrew's door suddenly shot opened. Caught off guard, the brunette jumped at the sight of the black haired man and felt a bit small under his gaze.

"I warned you," his voice was threatening but low. Dipper just stared at him and couldn't find the strength to move. As soon as he began walking forward, Bill's door flew opened and the blond was in between them in a flash.

"Stop," Bill glared at Andrew. "He is not yours to worry about. You can leave now. You are not needed."

"We'll see about that," the taller man sneered before returning to his room, slamming the door.

Dipper watched as the former demon visually slumped and leaned against the wall.

"What was that about?" Dipper asked softly, pulling the blond man into his arms and half carrying him to the bed; using his foot to close the door.

"Still no idea," the blond mumbled. "My guess? You could replace him. If you're around me as much as he is, they could probably use that to make him go back to wherever he's from."

"So," the brunette began slipping out of his clothes once Bill was laying back down. "You're telling me that he could lose his job? Because of me?"

"I'm pretty sure," Bill grumbled and yawned softly. "I haven't been this sleepy since you were last here."

"Seriously?" Dipper joined the blond under the covers. "What do you do then?"

"I've been writing," the former demon snuggled close to the younger male, wrapping his arms around the brunette's waist. Within literal seconds, Bill had fallen asleep.

Dipper smiled to himself when he heard a light snore coming from the exhausted man. After their cuddle sessions, the brunette has gotten used to seeing the other so close. What he would never be able to get used to though was how strong his scent was in this room. He must spend the majority of his time on this bed. Memories of their first sleep overs flashed into his mind, causing Dipper to feel a bit embarrassed yet proud of how the events turned out. It wasn't long after the blond passed out that Dipper felt himself drift off to sleep.

Morning came quicker than Dipper intentionally wanted. Aching pain in his gut forced him up and once he was back to the bedroom, Bill was sitting up and staring at the door expectantly. The brunette didn't say anything but when he got closer, he noticed a scared look on the former demon's face. His eyes were looking past him and they were almost empty.

"Bill?" Dipper called softly, cupping the other male's cheeks. He blond jerked his head a bit and leaned forward, gripping onto the brunette's sides. "What's wrong?" he asked worriedly.

"I-I," the former demon buried his face into the younger male's shoulder, whispering very lowly. "I can barely see anything."

Fear peaked spiked a bit in Dipper's stomach, causing him to pull back and hold Bill by his shoulders.

"I-it's pretty dark in here," he tried to reason. "Come on, let's go to the living room, you barely got any sleep. You're probably still tired."

Bill was silent and he allowed the brunette to pull him off the bed and into the living room. Relief washed over the former demon's face as soon as they left the room.

"I can see," he whispered out quickly before collapsing to his knees. Dipper kneeled in front of the blond man and watched him breathing harshly, closing his eyes in an attempt to calm down.

"See?" the brunette kissed the professor's forehead gently. "You were just tired, don't worry."

"I've never been _that_ tired," Bill stated weakly, rubbing his eyes.

"Did you ever make the appointment to see an eye doctor?" Dipper slightly suggested again. "You can tell them about this."

Bill nodded and sniffed. "I made the appointment later that day," he explained. "But it takes a few weeks so it's not until Thursday."

"Well," Dipper encouraged. "It's Saturday so it's not that far."

"Almost a week," Bill complained.

"It'll be okay," the brunette pressed. "Have you thought about doing like an ancestry thing?"

"You mean like spitting into a bottle?" the blond began to stand up, the younger male following quickly.

"Yeah," he chirped. "You should, it'll give you an idea of your genes."

"I guess I could," Bill shrugged. "I hate this."

"Bill," Dipper sighed. "It's just life."


	18. Chapter 18

The second week of December started in a blink of an eye. Monday's practice started smoothly. Thomas was showing Dipper and Mia different things he thought of including throughout the weekend and it wasn't long before the girl was being shown the moves as well. Dipper couldn't help but start feeling a bit bored, knowing he would just be standing to the side meant he didn't need to do much practice except singing. While the two dancers were going, the brunette looked around and found where Bill was. Currently, he was with another student and they were doing their small practice before the blond man had to step away. Once the former demon did get pulled away by another professor, Dipper looked away from him to see his dancers staring at him. Thomas looked where he was staring and smirked at him when he spotted their professor. Mia was pouting a bit but kept her eyes on the brunette.

"What?" Dipper asked, confused why they were staring at him.

"You have the hots for him, huh?" Thomas snickered a bit. The brunette blushed hard.

"W-what are you talking about?" he questioned, shaking his head. "Who?"

"Who do you think?" the dancer laughed. "Damn, I asked him out last year but he turned me down. Probably the hardest person to get to fall for you. Good luck."

"Wait, you?" Dipper furrowed his brows a bit. "You asked him out?"

"Knew it!" Thomas beamed. "I didn't ask him out, just wanted to test you. I knew it!" he chatted with his arms up in success.

"I don't know what you're talking about!" Dipper blushed more and looked away from the duo.

"Do you like someone else then?" Mia suddenly chimed in, her voice very shy.

"Don't bother," Thomas began to pat the girl's back. "A guy like him? He's bound to be gay."

Dipper's blush deepened and he stomped his foot to the ground, feeling embarrassed. "Why do you care?" he questioned with an annoyed tone.

"Can we care about our singer's happiness?" Thomas raised an eyebrow to Dipper, tilting his head a bit. "If you don't like him, tell me, do you like boys?"

"If I fall for someone, then I fall for them," Dipper explained, crossing his arms and feeling his blush start to fade. "I shouldn't have to tell you this."

"Well," Mia fiddled with her fingers nervously. "Are you single?"

Dipper fell quiet and looked to his feet, unsure of how to answer. Technically? The title may not be there, but his heart screamed and yearned for the blond professor. They got closer to being official than he had thought they would have been a week ago, but nothing was set in stone just yet. Instead, he settled on shrugging honestly.

"It's complicated right now," he explained. "But I'm not available, if that makes sense."

"I-I see…" Mia chewed on her bottom lip before turning back to Thomas. "Let's keep practicing."

The topic died as quickly as it started, leaving Dipper's thoughts stuck on the blond man again. Before class ended, all of the professors for the different classes had all the students sit and face the center of the room. Bill was amongst the teachers in the center and Dipper watched him walking around and scanning the students until their eyes met. He smiled sweetly and stopped moving, choosing that stop for himself. Once the students were silent, one of the teachers began speaking.

"Thank you all for your attendance this semester!" a female professor began. She had been facing a different part of the crowd but spoke loud enough for her voice to travel around the beyond large dance studio. "As you know, there will be talent scouts at the concert. We're getting more people attending than normal so be prepared!" The students began cheering in excitement. "The date of the performance is December 20th! You must be at the stage at 12 PM for sound check, hair and makeup, and last minute rehearsals. Our last meet up like this will be this Friday. Starting next week will be up to you guys to continue meeting up to get ready. Any questions?"

Dozens of hands went up. Each question that was asked was answered by a different professor. Dipper ignored the questions that were being asked. Thoughts of performing on stage were causing the boy's heart to begin to race again. Quickly, Dipper looked around and locked his eyes with Mabel's who was sitting a good amount of distance away. Silently, the brunette boy made his way over to his sister, who hadn't noticed his desperate glances yet. Once he was at her side, he leaned against her and she jumped a bit before smiling sweetly and hugging her brother. The brunette boy looked up to the professors again and noticed Bill staring over to them with a concerned look on his face, but not saying anything. Not wanting him to worry, Dipper folded his fingers and hands in a heart and held up to his eye, staring at the blond through the hole. The blond professor smirked a bit and looked over to one of the students that were speaking.

At the end of class, Dipper was talking with Mabel walking towards his next class when Mia caught up to them. The twins allowed her to tag along, although the boy had doubts about her intentions to be friends but didn't want to assume and be wrong. Pacifica greeted them at the class entry and took his sister to the side to have their greetings more private. Dipper grumbled to himself silently when he felt Mia lean herself against his arm.

' _Just ignore it,_ ' he thought to himself, walking straight to his seat.

Once seated, he began taking his items out and Mia welcomed herself to sit in Pacifica's chair.

"Hey Dipper," her voice was shy but sweet. Her accent sent goosebumps down the brunette's spine. A weird tingling emotion ran through Dipper's stomach that he didn't like.

"Hey," he nodded towards her, glancing at her with a small smile.

"I was wondering," she fiddled with her fingers for a few moments, thinking silently. "Do you want to meet up sometime this weekend?"

The question threw Dipper off a bit. Her crush was a bit obvious, but he wasn't expecting her to take it upon herself to make the first move.

"Uh," Dipper hesitated for a moment, looking at her with worry in his eyes. "I, you know, have some-"

"I don't mean like a date!" she quickly added, cutting him off. The brunette stayed silent for minutes, pondering on what to say.

"Who else-?" he began to ask, once again getting cut off by the British female.

"O-of course Thomas!" she stuttered, sounding a bit unsure. "I-I was going to ask your sister, see if she wanted to invite her group?"

Dipper thought about the offer for a moment, thinking his sister would probably love the company, then nodding. "Let me talk to her," he responded a bit awkwardly. "I'll let you know by the end of the week."

Mia nodded quickly then stood up silently, waving shyly to him before making her way back to her seat. Pacifica was in the seat within a minute of her leaving, just before class was about to begin.

"Finally," she rolled her eyes. "I was beginning to think she was going to try to stay here all class."

"You could have just asked her to move, you know," Dipper chuckled and rolled his eyes a bit.

"I don't want to talk to her," the blonde almost sounded disgusted. "Besides, aren't you like, dating that teacher?"

Dipper's eyes widened and he looked around quickly, making sure no one was listening to them before leaning close to her. "Don't talk about that," he whispered harshly. "I'm pretty sure he could get into trouble."

"Doubt it," she took out her items but didn't lower her voice.

"Whatever," he whispered again and rubbed his forehead with his hand. "I'm not dating her, she's just a dancer. You know this."

"I don't see Mabel talking to her dancers," Pacifica pointed out. "What about Thomas? I don't see him talking to you this much."

"I don't know why she's talking to me," Dipper pressed. "I would much rather not think about it. I just need this performance to go well, that's it."

"Just watch yourself," she noted. "She looks like the type to not care if you're taken."

During Dipper's last class, Bill let the students begin their final. For this class, their final story had to be around a few different prompts that were written on a paper that was handed out to the class. The list of creatures that needed was required to be featured in said story ranged from vampires and werewolves to fairies and pixies. The class was meant to be filled with outlining and character development. The minimum length for the story was 20K to 40K words.

This wasn't an issue for the brunette at all. The novel that he had planned on working on after school was planned to be much longer than what school could require. By the end of class, Dipper already had the chapters lined out for a mini-story along with a description for each one, explaining the story in a whole.

Throughout working on the story, he couldn't help but think back to how Mia was acting along with Pacifica's warning. He didn't say he was single when she asked so he was hopeful that she wouldn't try anything; but after the blonde girl's warning, he wasn't so sure. Something else he didn't think much of though, was Bill's possible reaction to the events.

Once he left Bill's class, he called his sister to plan out possible practice session at the Shack for their groups. Against his better judgment, he didn't mention the conversation he had with Pacifica. Part of him was sure if the blonde thought it was something to worry about, even she would have brought it up in their own private conversations. Since Mabel had the numbers for her dancers along with Dipper's dancers, she formed a giant group text to talk about the meet up that weekend. Most of the planning was being done with Mabel and Mia so Dipper placed the chat on silent to avoid getting notified for every single message someone sent.

By the time 6 PM rolled around, Dipper was leaning against a pole next to the gas station and stared down the street where Bill would be showing. The brunette felt mentally and physically drained. He felt like there was something wrong, but he couldn't pinpoint what it was. Is it from Mia being bold with having a possible crush? Why was he thinking of her so much? If things don't go the way she plans, will something happen to the performance? It's worrisome enough to even fathom performing in front of hundreds of strangers, now this? What if Mia finds out _who_ Dipper likes? Would Bill get in trouble? Is Pacifica right? Will nothing happen if people find out?

The brunette shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind. It wasn't long after when the blond man came into view. The sight of the professor made Dipper's heart race and, in a weird way, the world look a bit brighter. The color stunned the brunette for a moment, feeling at peace for the first time in the day at the feeling of freedom to hug the man he woke up to that very morning. Bill began to smile brightly when Dipper pushed himself off the pole and walked straight towards him. With a quick look over his shoulder, the former demon engulfed the younger male in a tight hug.

Dipper's senses were filled with the other's, nearly instantly feeling that same bussing sensation he now gets when they wake up together. It was strange to go from feeling stressed throughout the day to suddenly feeling everything was alright in the world, just from being in this man's arms.

"Miss me, Pine Tree?" Bill purred into the brunette's ear. Not caring to hide the emotion anymore, Dipper began nodding and tightened his hold. "Oh wow," the blond chuckled happily. "That much, huh?" The former demon pressed a kiss to the younger's temple and began to pull out of the hug. "Let's go home."

Dipper didn't want to let go. Not now, not ever. But going home sounded like a good idea. Therefore, the brunette whined for a moment before pulling away. This earned him another heartfelt chuckle from the professor.

On the way back to the apartment, they talked about everything except school. This put Dipper in a good mood, feeling relieved to not give Mia any more room in his head than she had already taken. Dipper took over cooking for the two of them, knowing Bill didn't trust himself to even attempt to do anything in the kitchen again.

That night he cooked chicken, asparagus, and fried potatoes. The recipes were a bit different than the ones Bill had gotten used to. Even though he didn't want to specifically cook anything on the stove, he wasn't comfortable with having the brunette be the only cook. Dipper had the former demon cutting potatoes while he worked on preparing the chicken.

"So," Dipper wondered his mind for a question, wanting to think of something random to talk about. "As a human, what has been the hardest thing to learn so far?"

"To learn?" Bill raised an eyebrow at the brunette. "I know everything."

"Did you know how to take care of yourself immediately?" he asked.

"Hmm," the blond pondered on the question for a moment before answering. "Technically, yes. I knew I needed a job for literally everything. Did I know I was going to be given the middle finger by the God of Life itself? No. That made things hard. I swear, if some of those things didn't happen to me, I would be better off."

"Yeah?" Dipper questioned. When the blond nodded, he pressed. "Like what?"

"I missed out on some pretty awesome jobs because," he paused in his movement and began waving his hands a bit dramatically, "the _bus_ just so _happened_ to run out of _gas_ on the way there. My _taxi driver's wife_ just so _happened_ to go into _labor_ as _soon_ as I'm about to be _dropped_ _off_ , which might I add, I had to _get out_ of the car at a _red light_. He wouldn't even pull over for me. Still had to pay though."

"Are you kidding me?" Dipper groaned in sympathy. "That sucks."

"Yeah," he nodded sharply. "And that's not even all of them."

"But think about it like this then," Dipper flipped the chicken on the frying pan, listening to it sizzle while adding more of the special seasoning. "If it weren't for those things happening, you probably wouldn't be with me right now."

"So it's your fault I went through all that shit?" the former demon smirked. Dipper chuckled and shook his head.

"Geeze," he rolled his eyes. "I'm trying to be cute."

"Oh?" Bill cocked a knowing eyebrow and leaned in to kiss Dipper's cheek. "Well, you don't have to try too hard for that," he purred sweetly and start nibbling softly on the other's clean neck. The brunette yelped in surprise and raised his shoulder, an attempt to hide his neck.

"Are you cannibal now?" the younger mail jabbed the older man's side and stuck his tongue out at him.

"If I am," the blond man's arms snaked around Dipper's waist. "You would be the sweetest treat I'd ever eat." With that, the taller male continued nibbling on the brunette's neck.

Dipper couldn't help but lean back against the taller man's check and tilted his head, giving more access to his skin. "I hope you get a cavity then," he chuckled, feeling chills run down his spine at the touch.

Suddenly, Bill pulled the brunette away from the sizzling heat and pushed him against the sink. Dipper wrapped his arms around the blond man's neck and smiled sweetly to him.

"You're mine," the former demon's voice was deep and firm, staring down at the brunette admiringly.

"You're crazy," Dipper teased and kissed the corner of the other's mouth. "Not officially yet," the shorter boy quickly licked Bill's cheek, causing the blond to chuckle and wipe his cheek.

"Do we really have to wait?" Bill pouted a bit. "Do you at least tell other's you're taken?"

"Kind of," he responded honestly. "I say it's complicated."

"It's not complicated," the former demon pushed his front against Dipper's. "You're being complicated."

"I don't mean to, but—" Dipper started to argue but was interrupted by Bill quickly.

"I know, I know," the blond sighed and gave the brunette a squeeze before letting him go. "I just wish you'd give me a chance."

"I am," he tried arguing again. "It's not going to be too long before the semester ends."

"But you're living with me _now_ ," the former demon started to walk back to the food. "I think that—" the blond man spoke as he walked past the stove but was interrupted when the chicken on the pan suddenly burst into flames.

Bill's eyes widened and he backed away from the stove quickly. Dipper acted fast and moved the stove off the burner. Once removed from the heat, the flames began to die down and left a very burnt piece of chicken and a ruined pan. Sighing, the brunette placed the pan to the side to cool off and flipped the stove off.

"We have some chicken breast," Dipper turned the oven on to pre-heat. "I'll just bake it, keep it safe." While he spoke, the brunette moved around to pull the raw meat out and open the package to begin prepping them.

"Are you sure _that_ won't catch fire?" Bill's voice was a bit shaky, thrown off a bit from the sudden flames.

"We'll cross that road when we get there," the brunette tried to reassure him. Sighing softly, he pulled out a cookie sheet and covered it with tin-foil. Bill kept his distance from the counter, leaving the potatoes in pieces on the cutting board. Dipper pulled out a separate pan and poured cooking oil in it before adding the already chopped potatoes.

"I'm sorry," the former demon mumbled under his breath.

"Why are you apologizing?" Dipper raised an eyebrow and turned to look at the blond man. "Shit happens, we can move past it. Do you want to finish?" he motioned towards the last potato that was still in full condition.

Bill pouted in his spot for a moment before letting a genuine smile take over his features. "Even after that?" he questioned. The brunette nodded and placed the chicken breasts on the pan, seasoning the piece of meat. "How many fires caused by me are you going to be okay with experiencing before you leave me?" Although his voice was still cheerful, there was a hint of fear in the tone.

Dipper smiled to himself and answered without turning around. "This stove can catch fire every day if it wants to. I'm not leaving," his voice was sincere and sweet. It was the truth and he truly hoped the blond man felt the same.

Bill was speechless. Quietly, he walked back to the potatoes and continued his work. Smiling widely, Dipper leaned up and planted a kiss on the professor's cheek.

"Good boy," the brunette snickered as Bill blushed and continued working.

Dinner turned out well, despite the bumpy start. Dipper took a shower after the blond male took his own and met him in the bedroom once he finished. Bill was on the ground with his secret stash from under his bed out. The brunette raised an eyebrow at the blond at seeing the items out.

"Thought this was saved for the weekend?" he asked, almost accusingly. Bill looked up at Dipper with a blank expression. Any smirk that was on the younger's face dropped with his stomach. "Is something wrong?" The blond man held up Dipper's phone.

"Since when were you so popular?" he asked numbly. Dipper slid himself next to the former demon and took the device. Turning the screen on, he widened his eyes at the 100+ missed text messages.

"Holy shit," he murmured, unlocking the phone and opening his messages. As he expected, the messages were from the group chat and he sighed a bit in relief. "It's a group chat," he explained, showing Bill his phone and scrolled through the dozens upon dozens of missed messages.

The blond man stayed quiet and began reading a few of them. One caught his eye. Quickly, Bill looked back at the brunette with a worried expression.

"Why are they planning on going on a group date?" he questioned, sounding a bit offended. "You're not going."

Confused, Dipper read through the messages and groaned. "I was hoping Mabel would prevent that," he mumbled and backed out of the group message. He sent one message to Mabel personally, not wanting the others to read the message.

 _Dipper:_

 _10:13 PM_

 _I'm not going on a group date with you guys, I can't bring Bill with me._

"Thank you," Bill leaned against the brunette and hugged him tightly. "No one is allowed to take you from me, I don't care who it is."

A small smile grew on Dipper's face and he leaned into the hold. "I wouldn't have gone, even if you allowed me to," he explained softly. "It would feel wrong if you weren't there." They stayed quiet for a few moments before he spoke up again. "Is that why you pulled everything out?"

"I'm scared," Bill admitted. "It helps calm me down."

"Can I help?" Dipper purred into the blond man's ear. Before the older man could respond, the younger's phone started to vibrate. He pulled away from the strong hold and looked at his phone.

 _Mabel:_

 _10:14 PM_

 _I don't know why she keeps calling it that but it's not a date! I just told them I was bringing Pacifica and they started inviting their girlfriends/boyfriends. It's just supposed to be practice, I promise!_

Bill read the message along with Dipper and his worried expression returned. The brunette sighed and responded.

 _Dipper:_

 _10:14 PM_

 _I'm leaving if she tries to start shit with me._

As soon as the message was sent, Dipper heard a whine come from the blond.

"She's going to take you," he mumbled, leaning away from Dipper and hugged his knees to his chest. "I can't stop it."

"But I can," the brunette quickly explained, moving to pull Bill into his arm. "I made my promise to you, I'm not going to leave."

"Do you consider me your boyfriend to them?" the blond man released his legs to get pulled in. Dipper sighed a bit but held onto the taller man.

"I told them it was complicated," he explained.

"That gives them room," Bill pulled away and stared at Dipper with hurt in his eyes. "You could have just said you were in a relationship, they don't need to know the details."

"But wouldn't that technically be lying?" the brunette asked.

Bill stayed silent and looked away, staring at his packed pipe. "I don't understand," he stated numbly. "I don't understand you."

"What do you mean?" Dipper scooted closer to the blond, trying to understand what he was talking about.

The blond let out a long, but soft sigh and picked up the pipe to take a hit. The silence was unsettling for the other. Thoughts began filling his head. What was wrong? He's gone this far, so what's stopping him from making things official with Bill? Was it really just the plan? Was it Bill's job? What would his family think? Stan invited him over for Christmas, but would he approve a relationship? Or were these just excuses?

Dipper let out a deep sigh and moved to remove the glass and lighter from Bill's hands. Afterward, he pulled the former demon into his chest and held tightly onto him.

"Will you be my boyfriend?" his voice was warm and gentle as he asked the question, placing a tender kiss upon the blond man's forehead. Dipper leaned his head against Bill's and closed his eyes, waiting for the answer. Silence surrounded the two for a few moments before the former demon began to shake in the brunette's hold. Surprised, Dipper opened his eyes and saw the older man staring back with tears in his eyes.

"Fuck you," his voice cracked as he spoke but he hugged Dipper's torso tightly, shoving his face into the brunette's neck. "I've been trying to ask you that," he mumbled against his skin.

A smile grew on Dipper's face as he stroked the blond man's back. "Then my answer is yes," he purred into Bill's ear.

"Finally," the former demon stopped shaking and held onto his official lover tightly.

The next day at school was interesting, to say the least. Mia and Thomas were talking about what to bring with them on Saturday. Instead of rehearsing, they spent the day sitting with Dipper and writing down plans on what they were going to do for the day.

"So," Mia wrote 10 AM on a blank notebook age. "We'll head over there at ten and make the Pine's family a nice lunch for letting us come over."

"What movies should I bring?" Thomas asked, scrolling through his phone. "I can go buy a new movie today after school. There are a few good ones out now!"

"Bring whatever you want," Mia shrugged and continued writing. "At one, we'll start practice. We'll stop at like five or six, which will give us time to make dinner and watch a movie!"

"Dipper," Thomas shook said person's shoulder to get his attention. Dipper wasn't paying attention, he actually was mindlessly watching Bill work across the classroom. Thanks to Thomas's actions though, the brunette had to tear his attention away and give it to his dancers. "Do you guys have a fire pit?"

Mia suddenly gasped loudly. "S'MORES?!" she asked excitedly.

"Uh," Dipper tried to think. "I think we have one? But I don't plan on staying late."

Confusion flashed over their faces. "We're going over to your house though?" Mia stated in confusion.

 _Shit._ Dipper fumbled for a response and started chewing on his bottom lip. "I-it's a complicated story," he tried, shrugging a bit. "I-I'm staying w-with someone right now…" he trailed off then looked at the notebook. "What are you planning on making? Should I pick some things up?" he asked, trying to change the topic.

"Who are you living with?" Thomas asked curiously. "Oh! Is it that person you're seeing? The 'complicated' one?"

Dipper shook his head, paused, then nodded. "Yes actually," he nodded firmly. "Not complicated anymore though, just official."

"Really?!" the boy's eyes widened in excitement. Mia, on the other hand, couldn't look more confused and a bit defeated. "Congrats dude!"

"Thanks," Dipper blushed and smiled sweetly, resisting the urge to look around for the professor again.

"You should bring them!" Thomas cheered. "I'm bringing my girlfriend and I think your sister's dancers are bringing their boyfriends and girlfriends too!"

"I'm not," the blonde girl mumbled with less energy than before. "I don't have one."

"Your time will come," he smiled sweetly and ruffled her hair. "But you definitely should! That way you can stay longer!"

"I-I can't," Dipper shook his head quickly. "I-it's still new, I'm not ready for them to meet my family."

"Are you dating a boy or girl?" Thomas asked suddenly, referring to the conversation from the day before.

"What?" the brunette boy shot the ashy blond male a glare.

"It's a boy, huh?" he smirked widely.

"What are you talking about?" Dipper asked in a lower tone, not wanting to give anything away.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," he raised an eyebrow at him. "I think I know who it is."

"I'm not telling you who it is," Dipper stated firmly. His heart started to race a bit, feeling worried about the secret already being out from barely a day being official.

"I saw where you were looking," Thomas pressed. "You weren't even paying attention to us, you can't fool me!"

"I'm not trying to fool anyone," Dipper tried to argue, shaking his head and leaned away from the other man.

"Are you dating who I think you're dating?" Thomas asked, leaning into the brunette.

"Why do you care so much?" he snapped, his voice loud enough for only the trio to hear and possibly any eavesdroppers. "All you need to know is I'm not staying after dinner on Saturday and that's final! I'm not bringing anyone and I'm not answering any of your stupid questions!"

Thomas kept calm during Dipper's outburst and shrugged when he finished. "Fine then," he held his hands up in defeat. "You're fine, your secret is safe with me."

Mia stayed quiet during the argument and Dipper looked at her to notice she was staring away from them. He followed her gaze to see no one else but the professor, dancing with one of the students. Embarrassment filled his chest and he groaned while rubbing his face. It didn't matter what he said, Thomas knew and now he was sure Mia knew.

Just _great._


	19. Chapter 19

The rest of the week was calm. Thomas stopped bugging Dipper about who he likes and Mia only requesting his attention during the first period. The first period was planned to change from the group visits to pure singing lessons to improve all of the singer's live performances for the last week before the performance. The dancers were left to practice on their own without the singers. These plans were explained on Thursday morning, the day Bill actually missed out on due to his appointment. Of course, Andrew stood in his place for their writing class together. Back at the apartment, Bill never expressed his experience during the appointment. The only information that was given to Dipper was that the results of all the tests he took would arrive earliest on Monday.

Friday after school, Mabel picked him up with Stan's truck from school and they headed towards the store to get things ready for the new kitten. After getting the supplies, they headed to the shelter to pick the new member of the apartment up. With being another week older, the kitten's face, ears, and tail began getting their color. At that point, the kitten that they had reserved the week prior had been fixed and received her first round of shots. Once the paper work was completed, they were on their way to the apartment with the kitten in a newly bought kennel. Dipper told Bill that morning that he and Mabel wanted to bring a few things over from the Shack while waiting for him to finish his final class; therefore, the brunette had the key to the apartment.

Mabel helped set everything up in Bill's bedroom for the kitten to stay in. They had bought two cat towers, one for the living room while the other was for the bedroom. While they built the towers, the kitten was left to wonder around the room to explore the new location and smells. Once Bill's final class was done, Dipper drove to pick him up and Mabel stayed back to watch the kitten. While the former demon was pouty when the brunette arrived with the truck, Dipper couldn't be more excited to be driving back to the apartment.

"What did you do?" Bill asked when Dipper parked. The brunette raised an eyebrow and snickered.

"What do you mean?" he questioned, exiting the truck quickly.

"You're being jittery," the professor pressed, following the student's actions. "What did you do?"

"Let's just say," Dipper purred, wrapping his arm around Bill's waist and walked up to the apartment. "You're getting your Christmas present from Mabel and me early."

"What?" Bill widened his eyes a bit, letting himself get pulled along. "I told you not to get me anything!"

"I don't care," Dipper chuckled and slipped into the apartment.

Almost immediately, Bill looked around the living room. There was a cat tree in the living room but Mabel had covered it with a blanket in an attempt to hide it. This made Bill believe the covered item was the gift and with the size of it, the blond man's jaw dropped and he shook his head rapidly.

"That's too big," he attempted to protest. "That's too much, no."

"That's not it," Dipper chuckled, shaking his head.

Confused, Bill squinted his eyes at the brunette suspiciously. "Then what's that?" he questioned, pausing in his spot when the younger male still attempted to pull him.

"Don't worry about it," Dipper tried to reassure him. "Your gift is in your room." Bill pouted again but allowed the brunette to pull him to and inside his room.

As soon as the door was opened, Bill's eyes landed on Mabel and his expression contorted into more confusion. That was until he caught a small white ball of fur bolt from the closet up to the blond man's feet. Within seconds, a gasp escaped the taller man's throat and he was on his knees, staring at the small animal that was making her way up to him. Bill glanced from the kitten to Mabel to Dipper with shock written all over his face.

"Pine Tree," he whispered harshly suddenly, reaching out towards the small animal. "You didn't."

"I did," Dipper chuckled warmly, watching the kitten start sniffing the former demon's fingers.

Bill was speechless, staring at the kitten that continued sniffing his hands and walking closer to him. Quiet giggles filled the room from Mabel while the former demon was gawking at the creature. The blond picked up the animal and held her close to his chest. The kitten relaxed and went limp in his hold, looking up to him curiously. The blond man looked up at Dipper with tears perking in his eyes.

"I'm going to kill it," he whimpered. Dipper chuckled and shook his head, kneeling next to the shaking man.

"No, you won't," the brunette reached over and gently stroked the kitty's head. "She's yours but I'll be here."

"I-I can't believe," Bill stuttered out in a whisper, looking back to the kitten and letting her sniff his nose. "Why?"

"Merry Christmas," Dipper laughed happily. "Name her whatever you want, she's your baby."

"I think I'll leave you guys alone," Mabel giggled and stood to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow, Dip-Dop!"

Dipper escorted her out to give Bill a little bit of alone time with his new kitten. Once back inside the apartment, Bill was in the living room, cradling the kitten in his arms. The creature was completely relaxed in her new owner's arms. The brunette smiled warmly and walked over to remove the blanket from the cat tower next to the couch.

"Why did you get a living creature as a gift?" Bill asked in concern but continued petting the baby in arms.

"It's just a gift," Dipper chuckled. "Now you have another reason to take care of yourself."

"I'm going to kill it," the blond pressed.

"Stop saying that," he tried reasoning, sighing softly. "Believe in yourself."

"Then if it dies," he spoke while walking to the couch, "it'll be _your_ fault."

Dipper chuckled and shrugged. "Isn't it good to have another reason to go through everything?"

Bill froze right before he sat down, suddenly with a cold expression on his face. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Thrown back a bit, Dipper responded calmly. "I know you're still going through a lot," he started. "My friend had an emotional support animal and part of me also wanted to give you experience instead of an item for a gift."

The blond man stayed silent but sat down on the couch, now giving his attention back to the kitten that was now attempting to get out of his arms. The kitten jumped out of his arms and onto the floor, exploring the room. Dipper moved to sit next to the former demon and leaned against him.

"Do you like it?" he asked sweetly.

"Of course I do," Bill rolled his eyes. "I'm just scared. You gave me another _heartache_."

"I gave you _family_ ," Dipper argued.

The blond stayed silent and stiffened against the brunette. The younger man looked over to his partner and his expression dropped to concern.

"I'm sorry," he apologized quickly. "I don't think I even asked about your actual family. Are you—"

Bill cut him off with a quick wave and a head shake. "It's not important," his voice was monotone, attempting to hide true emotion. His jaw was locked shut but Dipper could tell it was by force, confusing him for a moment.

"Bill," the brunette rolled his eyes. "You're a bad liar. Do you want to talk about it?"

The blond shot the brunette a hurt expression and his eyes started tearing up. Huffing up, the former demon attempted to speak but stopped, his face contorting in pain and he looked away. Quickly, he stood up but immediately fell to his knees, heaving harshly and shaking hard. Dipper raced to his side in a heartbeat and held onto the professor.

"What's wrong?!" he asked in a panic.

While shaking, Bill pushed himself against the younger man and burst into tears. Shocked, Dipper hugged the sobbing man firmly against his chest. Confusion ran through the brunette's mind, questioning what set the former demon off. They were talking about family, did something happen. Thinking back, Dipper attempted to remember Bill's history as a demon. What happened to his family?

The man sobbed in Dipper's chest over a half hour and the brunette didn't move at all. He couldn't remember exactly what he was told from Ford about the demon's history, considering the amount of time that has passed. So instead of dwelling on it, he focused on soothing the broken man. An idea passed through his mind and he thought of a song that might help. Not an original, but one that might help him see the beautiful smile from the blond.

Dipper began singing softly to Bill, rocking themselves slowly.

 _I can't unfeel your pain_  
I can't undo what's done  
I can't send back the rain  
But if I could I would  
My love, my arms are open

The blond man's sobbing began to lessen at the sound of Dipper's voice, pulling him back into the moment with both of them.

 _So when you feel like you can't take another round of being broken_  
My arms are open  
And when you're losing faith and every door around you keeps on closing  
My arms are open

The former demon's tears had finally subsided and the brunette stopped singing. Instead, he was peering down at him with admiration in his eyes.

"Do you want to talk about it?" he asked softly.

Bill pulled away from the brunette and sat back on the floor, eyes drifting to the ground, looking exhausted. He chewed on his bottom lip and furrowed his brows.

"I killed them," he explained. "Figured Sixer would have told you."

Dipper shook his head. "If he did, I don't remember anything," he explained.

"I lived in the 2nd dimension," he continued. "A flat world with flat minds. I killed everyone. That included my own family."

"And now that you're human?" Dipper started to ask, referencing the breakdown.

"The guilt I carry can kill a man," the former demon confirmed, closing his eyes. "That damn 'God' makes it worse."

"What did they do?" he asked curiously.

Bill sighed heavily and stood up. The brunette watched him walking up to the old fashioned radio he had seen on the first day they cleaned the apartment. The blond man walked back over and sat on the ground next to Dipper and against the couch. The boxed radio was placed on the ground and the former demon removed the top, revealing the radio to just be a hidden box. Inside were multiple folded papers and a few random items. Bill pulled out all the papers and moved the box aside. Dipper leaned in and watched the professor lay out the papers in order.

"This," he picked up a blue form. "This is supposed to be my 'birth certificate.'" After placing it down, he picked up a stack of papers. "This is paperwork for basically giving up parental rights. Allowing whoever to be adopted in some way. No reason attached," he continued and placed those down to pick up another paper that had pen writing on it, seeming to be a handwritten note. "This is from the 'mother' of this vessel, explaining why she doesn't want to be a mother anymore and that the dad is dead," his voice was very numb while he spoke, growing more tired as he continued. He placed the note with the rest of the papers and scooped them together. "This body is either some poor fucker with the same name as me or the God is trying to piss me off on purpose," he growled. "Every time I think about _'family,'_ I'm stuck thinking about how _wrong_ this stupid God is and that makes me remember what I _actually_ did and I can't _handle_ that guilt every time," while he spoke, Dipper watched as the blond began shaking again and tearing up. "I don't know if this was done on purpose but part of me thinks it is and it's _insulting._ "

Dipper nodded understandingly and stroked his back.

"I'm sorry this is happening," his voice was soft and warm, trying to comfort the other. Instead, Bill scoffed and shook his head.

"Shut up," he growled. "You don't need to be sorry for shit. I'm sorry. I can't even apologize to them. I can't even bring them back. _It's all my fault,"_ his voice grew rawer and he quickly folded the papers and placed them back in the box.

Unsure of what to say, Dipper sighed and pulled the former demon into a hug. "It might be your fault," he started. "But you can make up for it by doing better now. It will be okay."

The blond man stiffened against the hold and as he started to relax, he felt something touch his leg. Pulling away, Bill looked down to see the kitten attempting to climb his leg. With tears in his eyes, he picked up the small creature and held her to his chest.

"Thank you," he mumbled and bowed his head, allowing the kitten to sniff and lick his face.

The next morning was hard to get out of bed. Waking up to the blond man's scent was overwhelming for the brunette and it was getting harder not to attempt anything. In his mind, he felt it might be too soon to take things to the next level, but he couldn't help but feel temptation. Bill never showed any signs of wanting things to go to the next level but Dipper was sure that if he _attempted_ anything, the former demon wouldn't mind.

This morning wasn't like the others though, Bill had actually fallen asleep with clothes on. From being over emotionally exhausted from the day before, he didn't bother de-robbing before laying down. That meant Dipper gets to see the man in clothes he desperately wanted to rip off. After staring at the sleeping man for what felt like forever, he leaned over his body and pressed down. After just a few seconds of pressing their chests together, the blond opened his eyes sleepily and looked up to the brunette. A small blush tinted the former demon's face.

"What are you doing?" Bill asked sleepily.

"You," Dipper remarked, pressing their lips together hard and began to grind their hips together roughly. The blond gasped in surprise and pushed against the brunette's chest to break the kiss. The brunette laughed and got off the man. "Joking," he teased. "Just wanted to wake you up."

Bill glared at Dipper with a bright blush on his face and he covered himself with his hands.

"Asshole!" he whined out, pushing himself out of bed.

Dipper laughed and shook his head. "You're such a virgin," he commented.

"And you're a rapist," the former demon stuck his tongue out at the brunette and left the room for the bathroom.

After he left the room, Dipper could help but feel down on himself and stroked his forming erection. It was getting a bit harder to hold back.

Dipper arrived at the Shack around 11:30 AM, knowing everyone should be there by now. Mia was in the kitchen with two of the other dancers. Mabel's dancers were three girls; Madison, Aubrey, and Bella. Everyone had their lovers with them; except, of course, Mia. Thomas introduced his girlfriend as Amber and of course, he pulled Dipper to the side.

"Where's Mr. Cipher?" he asked with a knowing tone. Dipper flushed and crossed his arms.

"Why do you think I would bring him?" he growled.

"Come on, man," he cocked an eyebrow. "Just be honest."

"Just because you're fine with it," he sighed and rubbed his temples, starting to explain. "That doesn't mean everyone else here would be okay with it."

"Trust me," he rolled his eyes. "Everyone here _wants_ him to get laid already."

Dipper felt taken aback and shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"Everyone that has been in his class at all," he motions to the people that were crowding the kitchen. "All want him to be happy with someone. People have seen terribly shit, man. It's sad to see things fall on your teacher watch him just get on with life like it's fine. It's weird! He won't even accept a date, let alone friendship. People saw you guys walking with each other, you were our hope! But then you stopped. Are you guys meeting up somewhere else to not be seen?"

"Oh my god," Dipper was dumbfounded. "Everyone knew?"

"Duh," Thomas smiled widely. "So, it's true? Are you guys dating?"

Dipper bit his bottom lip and nodded slowly. This brought a huge smile to the other man's face and he hugged the brunette suddenly and hard.

"I KNEW IT!" he cheered then let him go. "I have to tell everyone!"

Before Dipper could stop him, he began announcing the news to each couple and the brunette groaned. He walked over to Mabel and Pacifica, who was smiling widely at him.

"Finally confessed?" Mabel laughed. "You're terrible with secrets."

"I don't care," he shrugged. "Thomas said everyone wanted it anyways so maybe nothing will happen."

"Don't worry," Pacifica pat his shoulder. "I can make sure he'll be fine."

When practice started, Mia was very distant with Dipper. Not that he was complaining, he hardly even noticed she didn't greet him when he arrived. But what he did notice was how nice she was acting to Stan. It nearly sickened him to think she was trying to pull a fast one on his Grunkle, so he wanted to talk to him before something happened.

Dipper stood just outside of the kitchen, listening in on their conversation during one of their breaks. He noticed she walked into the kitchen soon after Stan had. Leaning against the wall, he listened to their conversation.

"I don't think he wants to be with me," her voice sounded sad.

"Nah," he heard Stan's voice grumble. "He's just focused on school."

"The others said he's dating his professor," she explained.

"Just rumors," he argued. "He's probably just lying to prevent any awkward rejects. Just wait, you'll see."

Feeling sick to his stomach, Dipper quickly and quietly left his spot and ran to the area they were practicing in. Mabel was talking and joking with everyone and he quickly dragged her off to the side.

"She's talking to _Grunkle Stan_ about me," he whispered harshly, knowing she would catch onto who he was talking about. "I can't do this, she's going to ruin my performance."

Mabel sighed and held her brother's shoulders. "She's just jealous," she explained. "If you think she will ruin your performance, maybe you should act more friendly. At least until the concert is over. Then you won't have to talk to her."

"I'm not going to lead her on," he growled. "I already confessed to who I'm with, how much more does she need?"

"Let me talk to her," his sister tried to plead. "Just one more hour, then you can go home."

"I would rather just go home now," he confessed, looked down. "I'm uncomfortable with her here."

"It'll just be worse if you leave," Mabel explained. "Just ignore her, concentrate on the performance."

Dipper groaned helplessly and took out his phone, feeling in a desperate need to be wrapped in the former demon's scent again. His phone had missed calls and messages from the said person. He unlocked his phone and read the messages from Bill, feeling his hears starting to race in worry.

 _Bill:_

 _12:13 PM_

 _I just got a photo of some guy hugging you from an unknown number?_

 _Bill:_

 _1:33 PM_

 _The same number sent a video of you guys practicing, I think someone is watching you!_

 _Bill:_

 _2:08 PM_

 _Please answer_

 _Bill_

 _2:10 PM_

 _Please call me back_

Sighing to himself, he called Bill's number and it was answered after two rings.

" _Thank God you're okay,"_ Bill's voice already sounded exhausted.

"What did you mean you're getting pictures and videos?" Dipper questioned, referring to the messages.

" _I don't know,_ " he groaned over the phone. " _I was hoping maybe it was someone you are with, I'll send you the number so you can look around. It's scary, Pine Tree. I don't like stalkers and I don't even know how they have my number. I'm worried, when are you coming home?"_

"I'll be on my way in an hour," Dipper explained. "I'll talk to Mabel to see if it was one of them. Don't worry, I'm okay."

" _You better be,_ " Bill huffed. " _I'll see you at home."_

"I'll see you soon," the brunette smiled to himself. "I'm glad to see I'm missed."

 _"I DO NOT-"_ Bill attempted to argue but was cut off.

"BYE BILL!" Dipper laughed and hung up the phone.

Dipper bluntly began giving Mia the cold shoulder when he saw her again. He didn't think he could trust her, not with everything that has happened so far. To him, it went too far going to someone that was like a parent figure in his life for advice. Giving secrets away that she didn't have the right to talk on. All of it bugged him.

After receiving the number from Bill, he asked Mabel and they went through their contacts together but came to find out it didn't match anyone. Worry began to set in for the twin, more so for the safety of Mabel herself. After letting Pacifica know about the confusion, she immediately demanded Mabel to stay with her and collected the number herself to hire an investigator.

Once practice was over, Dipper didn't hesitate to return to the apartment. Thankfully, since Pacifica was there, she offered to drive everyone home and helped Mabel empty the house. Although, Dipper had to be the last one to get dropped off due to privacy for himself and his lover.

Mia was one of the last people to get dropped off and she stared at Dipper the entire time they were in the car. Mabel shifted awkwardly next to him, unsure of exactly how to ask her to calm down. Pacifica was good at ignoring the awkwardness but it truly bugged the female twin that she couldn't get everyone to relax.

"So," Mia finally began to speak up. "You're really with him, huh?"

Dipper sighed heavily and closed his eyes. "Will this affect the performance?"

Taken aback, the blonde girl quickly shook her head. "Not at all!" she looked apologetic. "I was just wondering."

"If it won't," he opened his eyes and stared at her blankly. "Then you don't need to know the answer."

Mia fell silent and the car stopped.

"I think this is your stop," Pacifica chimed in.

Mia quietly left the limo and it drove off to head to the apartment, finally. Dipper leaned back against the seat and groaned, rubbing his face.

"Why didn't I just walk?" he asked to no one.

"Because it's cold as fuck outside," Mabel argued, scowling at him. "I can't believe neither of you gets sick from walking every day."

"We sleep well," he shrugged. "I just want to be home."

"You will be," Pacifica noted and Mabel giggled.

"You are so cute," his sister pinched his cheek endearingly.

They arrived at the apartment soon after and Dipper got inside as quickly as he could. Inside, Bill was sitting on the couch with a toy in his hand, playing with the kitten on the floor and laughing. As soon as the door opened, his head shot up and he dropped the toy. The brunette closed and locked the door before engulfing the blond into a tight hug, tackling him to the couch. The former demon was laughing happily and leaned against the brunette.

"Welcome home," Bill smiled warmly to his lover.

Dipper stroked the blond man's cheek and kissed him deeply. The blond melted into the kiss and pressed against him. The brunette broke the kiss and shifted on the couch, pulling the former demon under him and smirking when his cheeks flushed pink.

"I'm glad to be home," Dipper purred and kissed the blond man deeply again.


	20. Chapter 20

Monday afternoon was full of popcorn, kisses, and cheesy romance movies. After a while of playing with the kitten to wear her out, the three of them were relaxing on a couch while watching a movie. Bill was laying on the couch with Dipper laying on top of him, the kitten, named Angel, also curled up on Bill's neck and chest. The blond man was sleeping and Dipper had been ignoring the movie to watch his lover's peaceful face. It wasn't until Bill's cell phone started to ring that the blond man's eyes fluttered open. At the sound of the tone, Dipper began to move and Angel stirred in her spot and began to stretch. The former demon rubbed her eyes and stretched a bit before feeling around for his phone, not wanting to remove the small creature in order to move. The brunette grabbed the blond man's phone and handed it over in order for him before he missed the call entirely.

"Hello?" the man greeted, sleepily. The person on the other side of the line began talking and Bill started rubbing his eyes.

While he was on the phone, the brunette picked Angel up and the kitten relaxed in his touch. Dipper watched as the blond began to sit up and remove himself from the sofa. Confusion ran through the shorter man's facial expression. Bill silently left the room and when he came back into the living room, he was wearing shoes and was now off the phone.

"I have to go," he explained quickly before opening the door.

"What?" Dipper was still confused. "What's going on? Who was that?"

"It's okay," Bill left the door opened and walked over to his lover, placing a kiss against the brunette's lips for a few moments before pulling away. "I'll be back, keep an eye on Angel for me, okay?"

Dipper nodded but pouted in his spot, not like the idea of the former demon leaving without him.

"Can you tell me where you're going?" Dipper asked again while Bill was walking back to the door.

"I'll tell you later," he responded, giving the brunette one last look before leaving the apartment.

While Bill was gone, Dipper cleaned up the apartment and lied down on the shared the mattress. Minutes after lying down, he fell asleep with Angel curled up on Bill's side of the bed. Dipper was pulled out of his sleep once he felt the bed shift and arms curled around his waist. His eyes flickered opened and he yawned while stretching, turning around in the arms holding him. While Dipper was smiling widely and felt cheerful knowing his lover was back; Bill, on the other hand, had a blank expression on his face.

"Welcome back," Dipper purred, giving the blond a passionate kiss. While the former demon accepted the kiss, he didn't kiss back. This puzzled the brunette. Pulling away slowly, he looked into Bill's eyes with a concerned expression. "Is everything okay?"

"Mostly," he responded with a flat tone.

"What's wrong?" Dipper asked, feeling his heart begin to race.

Bill's eyes flickered away from the brunette and he stared at the ceiling. "Don't worry about it," he mumbled. "I'll take care of it."

"What exactly is ' _it_ ,'" he pressed, sitting up to force the blond man to look at him.

"Please," the former demon's voice was low and weak. His eyes were pleading silently. "Let me take care of this on my own."

Dipper stayed silent for a few moments, staring at his boyfriend, before responding. "If it's important, will you let me know?" he asked consciously.

"If I thought it would affect you," he started to explain but looked away before he finished. "I would tell you. I will, just not right now."

The brunette felt a pang of hurt hit his chest. Did he do something wrong? What was so wrong that he didn't even want to talk about it? Where was he?

"Where did you go?" Dipper asked softly. "Can I know at least that?"

Bill shook his head slowly and closed his eyes. "Please," his voice was just below a whisper. The tone of his voice caused Dipper's heart to race in worry.

"Okay," the brunette caved a bit. "Tell me when you're ready."

With that, Bill pulled Dipper back into his chest and they spent the afternoon in each other's arms.

Bill kept to himself a lot throughout the rest of the week up to the day of the concert. Every time Dipper would bring up his behavior, the blond would just change the subject. Even at school, the professor was quieter and other students started making comments around him. Some even suggesting a possible secret break up. The whispers concerned the brunette. Although he knew the students didn't actually have an idea on Bill's personal life, it worried him even more that he was still being silent on what was wrong.

The day before the concert, everyone met up at the stage and were split between classes. There were two solo artist classes along with one strictly duet class. They put in a lineup and the teachers were the 'openers' for each class. Bill's class was the last class to perform.

The morning of the concert was very hectic. Makeup students were working on the singers and dancers while the stage production was working on different props for a different artist. While they weren't allowed to practice their songs themselves, they were asked to go on stage in line as they were given, making sure they remember their positions.

As soon as the concert began, the chairs were filled with families, towns-folk, music recruiters, and many other random people. Everyone was waiting in anticipation as they began. The opening began with the two professors that were in charge of the duet specialty class. Next came the single classes. Although they had a while to wait before they were on stage, Bill's class along with their dancers were waiting behind the stage. Dipper was caught off guard a bit when he heard about the professors performing as well but the feeling was quickly replaced with excitement to hear a full song written by Bill.

Both Stan and Ford were in the crowd and they were joined with Soos, Melody, Pacifica, and Grenda, who came down for Christmas and New Year's. Andrew sat with them as well, just for the simple fact that he had nowhere else to go. He had only ever shown his face on school days and that was strict during the day time and once school was over, he was secluded once again.

The performers were waiting in an underground makeup room where they could do last minute practices. Once your performance was complete, you were allowed to join your family in the crowd then the semester was considered over afterward. When it was Bill's class's turn, they were all ready.

First things first; Bill needed to introduce the class. A secret the professor let Dipper and Mabel know about that morning was that the producers a lot of times will judge the class off of the teacher. If the teacher was good, they have confidence that they will have taught someone to be a star. It was a hard decision on what song to sing to the point where he hadn't fully settled on a song until the beginning of that week. The other teachers also were stressed about singing because they focused most of their attention on the students, not on themselves.

The class out of respect stood outside to watch Bill's performance, everyone immediately assuming it would be good. The teachers were the only ones without any dancers so they had to prove their worth with their creativity, voice, and stage presence. These were the people that the singers had to rely on and that's how the brunette fully grasped why students _specifically_ wanted to be in _his_ class.

The concert had already gone on for an hour and a half already due to the number of full songs performed and it was now past the intermission when Bill took the stage. This was the second time Stan and Ford are seeing Bill in a performing environment. Dipper almost wished he was next to them to get their thoughts and opinions on the talented professor but also didn't want to give up the chance at being able to clearly listen to the man sing.

The music started placing while the deep purple and blue lights shined over the blond man, moving along with the beat. Dipper heard Bill take a small breath in before he began singing.

" _Oh, hush, my dear, it's been a difficult year  
And terrors don't prey on innocent victims  
Trust me, darlin', trust me darlin'."_

Bill sat on a stool in the middle of the stage wearing all black. He didn't seem to be wearing a suit but he was wearing a black coat over a basic black t-shirt. The only color that could be seen as the bright shine of his hair.

Dipper felt someone grab his arm and he turned to see Mabel smiling and leaning slightly against him, all ready for her performance. They looked back to the blond man who continued singing to the crowd.

 _"It's been a loveless year  
I'm a man of three fears  
Integrity, faith and crocodile tears  
Trust me, darlin', trust me, darlin'."_

The former demon's face grimaced and his eyes slid shut for a moment, almost seeming to be thinking about something while singing.

The emotion that was coming out of the professor's voice was different than what he's heard from another time when the brunette has heard him sing.

" _So look me in the eyes, tell me what you see  
Perfect paradise, tearin' at the seams  
I wish I could escape, I don't wanna fake it  
Wish I could erase it, make your heart believe"_

Bill stood up as he rose his voice to begin the chorus.

" _But I'm a bad liar,"_

The lights began to flash and move frantically along with the beat.

" _Bad liar  
Now you know, now you know  
That I'm a bad liar, bad liar  
Now you know, you're free to go"_

Dipper bit his bottom lip while listening to the lyrics coming from his voice. The pain was noticeable.

Once the chorus was complete, he removed the mic from the stand and began to slowly walk downstage, closer to the edge. The lights calmed down and faded to a dark purple shade over Bill.

" _Did all my dreams never mean one thing?  
Does happiness lie in a diamond ring?"_

Dipper felt a painful pang at his chest at the sound of those words.

 _"Oh, I've been askin' for  
Oh, I've been askin' for problems, problems, problems  
I wage my war, on the world inside  
I take my gun to the enemy's side  
Oh, I've been askin' for  
Oh, I've been askin' for problems, problems, problems"_

The blond man stopped moving and held one hand to his chest, staring out as if he were looking directly at something.

On the other side of Dipper, he felt another tug and looked to see Thomas giving him a small grin and leaned against him a bit, looking back to watch the professor.

The lights flashed with the music again, flashing different colors from purple, yellow, blue, red, to a simple white glow.

" _So look me in the eyes, tell me what you see  
Perfect paradise, tearin' at the seams  
I wish I could escape, I don't wanna fake it  
Wish I could erase it, make your heart believe"_

His eyes closed as he began singing the chorus, emotion spilling out of his tone.

" _But I'm a bad liar, bad liar  
Now you know, now you know  
That I'm a bad liar, bad liar  
Now you know, you're free to go"_

Bill kneeled down and scanned the audience. The lights all turned white and landed on the professor while he sang softer to the crowd.

" _I can't breathe, I can't be  
I can't be what you want me to be"_

His eyes flickered to where the classes stood to watch the professors.

 _"Believe me, this one time  
Believe me"_

Dipper's eyes meet Bill's right as he begins the last chorus.

" _I'm a bad liar, bad liar"_

The blond closed his eyes again, breaking the contact with his lover and stood back up to his feet. The lights began dancing across the stage again.

 _"Now you know, now you know  
That I'm a bad liar, bad liar  
Now you know, you're free to go_

 _Oh"_

As the song began coming to a close, the professor started to back up until he got to the stool once again.

" _Please believe me  
Please believe me."_

The stage flickered to black and the crowd began to roar in delight of the performance. Once the lights came back on, he waved happily to the crowd and was sitting on his stool once again.

"Thank you for coming out," he called into the microphone and the crowd began cheering again.

Dipper looked back at his sister, who was also clapping happily, with a more than concerned look on his face.

"That was awesome!" Mabel giggled, looking back at her brother before her smile dropped. "What's wrong? Aren't you happy at how good he is?"

"I think something is wrong," he explained quietly.

"What makes you think that?" she asked curiously, tilting her head a bit. "You better not be overworking your brain, Bro-Bro."

"That song," the brunette male flailed his arms towards the stage as if it were obvious. "What do you think I mean?"

Mabel sighed and began rubbing his shoulder. "Dip," she smiled sweetly to her brother in understanding. "It's just a song. He's a good singer, just tell him good job. Don't take the song to heart, it probably doesn't mean anything."

"What if it does?" he pressed.

"Then wouldn't he tell you?" she argued a bit, crossing her arms over her chest a bit.

"He's hiding something," Dipper tried again. "Something happened, he got a call and he wouldn't tell me who it was or where he went. He started acting weird when he came back, I really think something is wrong."

"I think you might be overthinking it," she shrugged a bit. "If you really are concerned, just talk to him."

Dipper nodded and stayed silent, turning to face the stage again. Bill had finished with the introduction of the first of his students and stepped aside to allow her and her dancers take the stage. Not caring to be with his dancers at this moment, Dipper walked away from the other students and towards the stage.

The blond man had been talking to the next performers by the time Dipper got up to him. He kept his distance to prevent any confusion with the student but waved a bit to get the professor's attention. Once he was successful, the brunette watched as Bill stepped away from the student and up to him within seconds.

The former demon pulled him into a private room where some stage props for other performances were sitting, waiting to be used. Once alone, Dipper pushed himself against Bill's middle and hugged him tightly. The brunette heard the professor chuckled and hugged him back just as tightly. After a few moments of silence, Dipper pulled away and looked into Bill's eyes, inspecting the dot in his eye absentmindedly.

"What's wrong?" the brunette mumbled softly.

"What?" the professor's brows scrunched together in confusion.

"Your song," he explained. "Something is wrong."

"Oh," Bill's face relaxed and he pressed a kiss onto Dipper's forehead. "You don't need to worry about it."

"I might not _need_ to, but I'm _going_ to," the brunette suddenly pressed more viciously than he originally intended.

"Can we wait until after the holidays to talk about this?" the blond asked in a quiet voice.

"Why can't we talk about it now?" Dipper questioned.

"Because the first student is almost done and I need to introduce the next," the professor pulled away and held his arms to his sides, trying to show authority. "I still have a job. We can talk later."

With that, the blond walked away, leaving his lover in the room along to wallow in the unanswered questions. Dipper groaned in frustration and stood outside the door with his arms crossed, waiting impatiently for him to 'do his job.'

Once the next performers entered the stage and Bill exited, Dipper walked up to him in a hurry. The blond man shook his head and sighed.

" _Dipper,_ " Bill growled in a low tone. The sound of his own name caused the brunette to freeze in his spot, listening to his lover now in shock. He never called him by his name. Not even before Dipper even knew who his professor was. "Stop it. We can talk later. Go back to your group, _please_."

The brunette's eyes dropped to the ground and he backed away from Bill. Just as he was starting to walk away, the former demon suddenly hugged him tightly. Even more stunned, Dipper just stood there, not knowing what to think.

"I'm sorry," Dipper heard the man whisper into his ear. "Please, not right now. I promise I will tell you."

The brunette nodded and snaked his arms around his lover and hugged him back. Bill pulled away and looked around quickly, making sure they weren't seen by anyone. Dipper stared up at the blond man and gave him a half-hearted smile.

"I'll see you when it's my turn," he mumbled then turned and walked away from the professor.

Once he was back with his group, he looked less performance ready than before and it caused a panic in Thomas and Mia.

"What's wrong?" Mia asked, hugging him suddenly.

"Did you and your boyfriend get into a fight?" Thomas asked, rubbing his back.

"I'll cut him," Mabel chimed in.

Dipper sighed and pulled out of the hug, giving his sister an exhausted look.

"I just want to go home," he mumbled.

"We didn't get to perform yet," Mia pouted to the singer.

"Yeah," Thomas complained. "Besides, it's the end of the semester, can't we have like an after party?"

"That would be cool!" Mabel gasped and clapped happily.

"What are you guys talking about?" Wendy's voice suddenly pipped up. Looking over to her, Dipper smiled and gave her a small wave.

"We're going to have an after party!" Mabel cheered then suddenly gasped harshly, staring at Dipper like he had said something crazy. "LET'S HAVE IT AT YOUR PLACE, DIP!"

Scratch that. _She_ is crazy.

Dipper shook his head and grimaced. "I doubt I'll get permission," he stated. Besides, he wanted to press for more answers, not hang out with them again.

"That would be really cool!" Wendy smiled with Mabel. "Why wouldn't we be able to have it at your place? Did you move out?"

The brunette boy nodded. "Sort of," he started to explain.

"He lives with his _boyfriend_ ," Thomas announced, laughing happily.

"Boyfriend?" the redhead raised an eyebrow and looked at Dipper. "You guys are official? Congrats, dude!"

"What?!" Thomas stomped his foot and whined. " _She_ knew before your own _dancers_ knew?"

"I think my _friend_ can know everything before my _dancers_ would know anything," Dipper rolled his eyes.

"I'll just have to ask him then!" Mabel announced and walked away from her group, jogging a bit to get to the stage before Dipper could react.

Instead of following, the brunette just waved his sister off. "He's going to say no," he mumbled. "It doesn't matter."

"I think Candy's about to come on," Wendy motioned towards the stage from where they were hidden. They were no longer next to the crowd to see the performance, but they were still able to hear the songs themselves.

"Did you hear it before?" he asked curiously.

"Oh yeah," she nodded and giggled. "She wrote a Korean song. I have the translation on my phone so while she's singing, we can read the translation if you want?"

"That would be cool," Dipper nodded and watched as the redhead pulled out her hone and opened up her notes, handing the device over so he could read the lyrics.

Just as he was about to start reading, the song began.

" _My love is like a red rose_

 _It may be beautiful now_

 _But my sharp thorns will hurt you"_

Dipper smiled to himself, loving her voice.

" _My love is like a red rose_

 _Yes, I may be fragrant_

 _But the closer you get, the more I'll hurt you"_

Wendy leaned against him, reading the lyrics as well as she sang.

" _Don't look at me with that light glance_

 _Don't speak of love easily_

 _If you want my heart, you need to take my pain too_

 _Because you will be pricked by my thorns someday_

 _Don't trust me too much_

 _You don't know me that well yet_

 _So just run away, run away_

 _I said ooh, ooh, ooh_

 _Don't love me_

 _You don't know me that well yet_

 _I said run away, just run away_

 _Don't come to me_

 _My love is like a red rose_

 _It may be beautiful now_

 _But my sharp thorns will hurt you_

 _My love is like a red rose_

 _Yes, I may be fragrant_

 _But the closer you get, the more I'll hurt you_

 _Seeing your confidence_

 _Makes me feel so bad for you_

 _Your confident footsteps toward me_

 _Looks so pitiful today_

 _Emotions? That's an extravagance to me_

 _Love? That's Obsession's best friend_

 _So run away just run away_

' _Cause you and I must come to an end_

 _Every rose has its thorn_

 _Every rose has its thorn_

 _Every rose has its thorn_

 _Don't trust me too much_

 _You don't know me that well yet_

 _So just run away run away_

 _I said ooh, ooh, ooh_

 _Don't love me_

 _You don't know me that well yet_

 _I said run away, just run away_

 _Don't come to me_

 _My love is like a red rose_

 _It may be beautiful now_

 _But my sharp thorns will hurt you_

 _My love is like a red rose_

 _Yes, I may be fragrant_

 _But the closer you get, the more I'll hurt you_

 _I don't want to hurt you"_

Dipper and Wendy clapped along with the crowd that started roaring. Although they couldn't see the performance, he was sure she had amazing dancers with her. Wendy then took her phone and gave her friend a warm smile.

"I'm going on after the next person," she explained. "I'll catch you on the other side!"

After Wendy made her exit with her few dancers, Mabel returned with a wide grin on her face. Dread began to settle in Dipper's stomach.

"HE SAID YES!" she cheered to the dancers around them and they all began cheering, especially Thomas. Dipper was the only one stunned, shocked that Bill would agree to have _students_ in his apartment. "And before you ask, Dippin-Dot, I told him it shouldn't matter after this because the semester is now over."

Dipper shook his head in disapproval and stay silent. Although it felt like a bad idea to have so many people over in the _professor's_ apartment, the brunette also felt like this was their actual first chance to show off their relationship. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad?

"I still think it would affect him," he mumbled but was ignored by the others. He ignored their conversations and waited until he heard Wendy's introduction. Once it was announced, Dipper quickly told everyone to quiet down to they could listen. Candy joined everyone right before Wendy began singing.

" _You say that I'm messing with your head  
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)"_

Wendy was the first one to actually use a strong back-track to echo her voice further.

 _"All cause I was making out with your friend  
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
Love hurts whether it's right or wrong  
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
I can't stop cause I'm having too much fun  
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)"_

Mabel started dancing with Candy to the melody that played throughout the area.

" _You're on your knees  
Begging please  
Stay with me  
But honestly  
I just need to be a little crazy"_

Mabel and the others started to form a small dancing circle to Wendy's song.

" _All my life I've been good,  
But now whoa, I'm thinking what the hell  
All I want is to mess around  
And I don't really care about  
If you love me  
If you hate me  
You can't save me  
Baby, baby  
All my life I've been good  
But now  
Whoa  
What the hell"_

 _So what if I go out on a million dates  
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
You never call or listen to me anyway  
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
I'd rather rage than sit around and wait all day  
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
Don't get me wrong  
I just need some time to play"_

The laugh track in the background was one of the more genuine laughs from Wendy that he has ever heard, noting that it felt perfect for the song. The backtrack vocals were really good for the song.

" _You're on your knees  
Begging, please  
Stay with me  
But honestly  
I just need to be a little crazy_

 _All my life I've been good,  
But now  
I'm thinking what the hell  
All I want is to mess around  
And I don't really care about_

 _If you love me  
If you hate me  
You can't save me  
Baby, baby  
All my life I've been good  
But now  
Whoa  
What the hell_

 _La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la,  
Whoa, whoa,  
La, la, la, la, la, la, la, la,  
Whoa, whoa,_

 _You say that I'm messing with your head  
Boy, I like messing in your bed  
Yeah, I am messing with your head when  
I'm messing with you in bed"_

Mia and Mabel pulled Dipper in the middle of the group, trying to force him to dance. While yes he was enjoying the song, he didn't want to dance in front of everyone. The brunette boy pouted and let his body be moved like a puppet between the two somewhat strong girls.

" _All my life I've been good,  
But now oh  
I'm thinking what the hell  
All I want is to mess around  
And I don't really care about  
All my life I've been good,  
But now oh  
I'm thinking what the hell  
All I want is to mess around  
And I don't really care about  
If you love me  
If you hate me  
You can't save me  
Baby, baby  
All my life I've been good  
But now  
Whoa  
What the hell_

 _La, la, la, la, la,  
La, la, la, la, la,  
La, la, la, la, la,  
La, la."_

The crowd roared again along with everyone in their little dance group. With Dipper finally free from the girls' grip, he shimmied away and felt his heart race a bit. Now there were about 5 students between Wendy to Mabel then Dipper.

After Wendy returned, the conversation picked up about what they can get from the store for the small after party at technically their professor's apartment. The brunette stayed quiet and listened to them speak, feeling a bit relieved when they were planning on what to bring. That was until Thomas had a bright idea.

"Okay," Thomas got everyone's attention and was smilingly like a mad man. "After the performance, I'm going to run home and get my weed. I would have my girlfriend go get it but I don't want her missing us."

"Are you serious?" Mia asked, shock laced with her tone.

"That sounds awesome," Wendy chimed in. "Do you need to buy any? I can throw in, I have some cash on me."

"Wendy, you smoke?" Dipper questioned, a bit shocked. Wendy simply laughed and nodded.

"Don't judge," she stuck her tongue out.

The others continued talking about what kind of alcohol to pick up so the brunette leaned into Wendy's ear and whispered so only she could hear.

"I believe Bill grows," he told her. "You shouldn't have to buy."

"Why only tell me?" she asked, giving him a confused expression but spoke lowly so the other wouldn't hear. "Is that a secret?" Dipper nodded in confirmation and she then zipped her lips closed with her fingers, throwing away the 'key' like she did when he was a kid. Dipper smirked and ruffled her hair.

"Good job on your song," he complimented. "It was really good. I wish I could have seen the performance."

"Me too, dude!" she smiled happily. "But thanks, man. I'm sure you'll do great too!"

Time flew by and now Mabel was with her dancers directly in behind the stage. Dipper was there with Mia and Thomas as well, getting ready to perform after his sister.

Bill was giving Mabel and her group a pep talk while the current singer was performing. Then, he left to introduce her and Mabel squealed before walking on stage with a strut.

The blond professor returned to Dipper and gave him a warm smile. There was another song that started to walk in, someone that was going to go right after the brunette.

Realization on where he was finally started to settle in Dipper's chest. He looked up at the blond he oh-so-desperately wanted to hug and returned the warm smile with a weak one. Thomas was smirking and looking back and forth from the professor to the student. The brunette was screaming in his head, begging the dancer to stay quiet and not mention anything about the 'after party.'

"Just think of me," Bill mumbled to him, careful to make sure only his lover can hear him. "You can sing in front of me, you've sung this before. The only difference is the environment."

Dipper nodded and chewed on his bottom lip nervously, feeling dread and anxiety filling his stomach. He jumped slightly when the music for his sister began. A smile grew on his face, he had only heard bits and pieces of the song she had been working on. He didn't even realize they didn't share their songs together prior to this concert until now.

" _Like an astronaut that's scared of heights  
With a heart that's beating at the speed of light  
You've been waiting for this feeling all your life  
Sometimes it's just hard to realize"_

Bill suddenly grabbed Dipper's hand and squeezed them as they listened to Mabel singing.

" _When you're stuck in a moment  
And your spark is disowning  
This is our time to own it  
So own it_

 _Baby, we were born with  
Fire and gold in our eyes, eyes  
With fire and gold in our eyes, eyes"_

Now Dipper was sure this was another song written for her lovely girlfriend, Pacifica.

 _"Got lightning in a bottle  
Hands on the throttle  
Even in the dust we shine  
With fire and gold in our eyes"_

He could only imagine the dance routine his sister was able to put together for her song. Unlike him, who basically left the performance up to his dancers.

" _There is something different about you and I (about you and I)  
And I feel like I have known you my whole life  
There is beauty behind every tear you've cried  
Sometimes it's just hard to realize_

 _When you're stuck in a moment  
And your spark has been stolen  
This is our time to own it  
So own it"_

The metaphors that were being used were warming Dipper's heart, helping ease the anxiety away. He felt _proud_ that his sister was able to put these kinds of phrases together so elegantly.

" _Baby, we were born with  
Fire and gold in our eyes, eyes  
With fire and gold in our eyes, eyes  
Got lightning in a bottle  
Hands on the throttle  
Even in the dust we shine  
With fire and gold in our eyes"_

Dipper looked up at Bill, who was silently watching him, and the temptation to kiss the professor start to emerge. Listening to these words were causing the brunette to focus on his relationship for a few moments before having to go on stage himself.

" _There is love inside this madness  
We are walking on the moon  
Though I don't believe in magic  
I believe in me and you  
Ooh, ooh  
I believe in me and you  
I believe in me and you"_

Dipper watched as the former demon looked past him and around, viewing the students that were waiting to perform. Their eyes locked again and the blond smiled at him again.

" _Baby, we were born with  
Fire and gold in our eyes, eyes  
With fire and gold in our eyes, eyes  
Got lightning in a bottle  
Hands on the throttle  
Even in the dust we shine  
With fire and gold in our eyes_

 _Yeah, yeah, yeah  
Ooh (yeah yeah)  
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah"_

The crowd was already clapping by the time the song was actually over. After a few moments of enjoying the cheers, Mabel and her dancers got off the stage while panting and lightly sweating. The excitement was radiating off of his sister. Dipper, Mia, and Thomas began to walk towards her and Bill ruffled her hair before going back on stage to introduce the brunette.

"You did so well!" Mia cheered and hugged the brunette girl before her brother could. Dipper pouted for a moment and pulled his sister out of her grip and hugged her tightly.

"You did amazing," he told her. Mabel squeezed her brother back then pulled away and giggled.

"Thank you!" she squealed. "You guys are going to do great too, good luck!"

With that, Thomas pulled both Dipper and Mia to the opening directly to the stage and watched Bill as he announced the next student performer. While the professor walked to the exit, Dipper felt his knees shake as he was pulled out by Thomas.

Mia happily got into her position and Thomas let the singer go to follow suit. Dipper turned to the crowd and felt a pang of fear hit him. The lights were too bright and it caused the crowd to look completely dark. *This might be better,* he thought to himself and moved the microphone stand more to the side, giving the dancers more room.

Suddenly, the music began and Dipper closed his eyes, breathing calmly and swaying with the music.

 _(One two three four  
One two three four  
One two three four)_

Mia and Thomas began their narration dance, pretending to be doing their own thing then slowly connecting their dances. Dipper took a small breath in and began singing, imaging Bill's face in front of himself.

" _Have I done my best here, or_

 _Will I be here next year, or_

 _Are these my best years yet?"_

Dipper's heart was racing in his ears but all he could concentrate on was remembering the lyrics and his lover's face.

" _Was looking forward to_

 _Being important, but_

 _I'm not important, yet"_

The brunette looked into the darkness of the crowd and pushed out as much emotion as he could properly for the next set of lyrics.

" _If you put this scene_

 _On a movie screen_

 _Is it called a happy end?_

 _If the world gets me_

 _Where I'm supposed to be_

 _Will I know I've made it, then?_

 _It's so hard_

 _Can we skip to the good part?"_

Dipper bobbed his head to the music but didn't look over to the dancers, just trusting that they knew what they were doing.

 _(One, two, three, four_

 _One, two, three, four)_

Once the music calmed down again, he began the second verse.

 _"If there's a good part, then_

 _I hope it's not far, cause_

 _I thought it'd be today_

 _I napped on campus, and_

 _I smoked at dances, but_

 _It didn't feel so great_

 _If you put this scene_

 _On a movie screen_

 _Is it called a happy end?_

 _If the world gets me_

 _Where I'm supposed to be_

 _Will I know I've made it, then?_

 _It's so hard_

 _So can we skip to the good part?"_

The brunette finally glanced over to his dancers and saw them looking more like a passionate couple dancing than just dancing partners.

 _(One, two, three, four_

 _One, two, three, four)_

" _So can we skip to the good part,_

 _to the good part, to the good part"_

 _(One, two, three, four_

 _One, two, three, four)_

" _These things take time_

 _Mom and dad, they have a good life_

 _But what am I gonna do with mine?_

 _These things take time_

 _Mom and dad, they have a good life_

 _But, what the hell am I gonna do with mine?"_

Once the music stopped, the trio was greeted with a roar of applause. One of multiple in the night. The approval from the strangers sent a rush of nervousness and nausea over Dipper. Quickly, the brunette waved to the crowd and ran off the stage and hurled over a trash can, nearly puking but didn't. He never thought relief would also make him feel this sick.

There was a gentle pat on Dipper's back and he looked up to see a worried looking professor.

"Are you okay?" he asked quickly. "You did so great, I didn't think you would get sick."

Dipper shook his head and held a hand over his mouth. "I-I just f-feel sick," he stuttered out. The blond man chuckled suddenly.

"Man, Pine Tree," he shook his head while laughing. "You make a performance like that without struggling and now you forget to talk?"

Dipper pouted and felt himself blush. The former demon laughed harder and the brunette poked his stomach suddenly, causing the blond to hunch over a bit.

"Don't you have a job to do?" the brunette stuck his tongue out playfully. While still chuckling, the professor straightened up and walked back out on stage to introduce the next student.

Dipper met up with Mabel and their Grunkles. Thomas departed with his girlfriend to get everything ready, not caring to watch the rest of the long concert. Mia stayed back to watch the rest of the concert. She explained that her parents couldn't make it but that she was heading home the next day so she wasn't too sad about it.

One of the last performers was the student that wanted Bill to chime in towards the end of the song. After that performance though, Stan and Ford were ready to leave. Complaining that the concert was really long and they had enough hearing Bill's voice for a while.

Before leaving though, Stan did comment at how weird it was seeing the demon act so _normal_ and nothing like an evil creature at all. This was giving the brunette how he was going to be accepting of their relationship. He didn't mention dating the former demon to his Grunkles just yet. He was a bit concerned with their reactions so he decided to beat around the bush until he felt comfortable to let him know.

After the 3-hour concert was completed, the rest of the crowd left and the last performers were the last ones to be able to leave. Bill was exhausted but perked up visually as soon as he noticed Dipper walking up to him. They happily embraced and left together in Pacifica's limo.

Inside was their first actual public appearance as not just a professor and student, but as an actual couple. Because Mia stayed around, she was with all of the other dancers in the limo as well as Pacifica, Mabel, Candy, and Wendy. The dancers gasped when they saw Bill step into the car and giggle when he slid next to Dipper, proudly taking his hand.

With the concert now over, the semester was finally officially over. Well, Bill did have to submit one final grade for everyone but that wouldn't take too long. The curious eyes from across the limo were exploited when Aubrey leaned forward towards them.

"I had a bet with one of my classmates that you were gay," she giggled. "I was so right!"

Bill blushed but couldn't help but laugh a bit, shaking his head. "I'm not gay; I never like or dated anyone before," he explained then looked at Dipper. "He's just special."

The girls practically squealed and looked at Mia who was the calmest out of them all. The blond girl was smiling at them but she didn't bother giggling or squealing over their open affection.

"Don't be a party pooper!" Bella playfully pushed Mia. "Aren't they cute?"

Mia nodded quickly. "Yeah," her voice was a bit hesitant.

"Be nice, Bella," Madison lightly scolded. "She's one of the only single people here; we need to hook her up."

"My girlfriend has a brother," Bella tried. "He's single, want me to set you up?"

"I'm okay," Mia shook her head quickly.

"Oh come on!" Aubrey whined. "I'm sure you'll like him, I met him before and he's cute! Give him a chance!"

Bill tapped Dipper's nose, pulling his attention from the girls and back onto him. The former demon smiled and they made eye contact and hesitantly leaned forward to give the brunette a gentle, quiet kiss.

"Focus on me," he whispered softly, recognizing the boy's discomfort.

"Is that what you're doing?" Dipper asked with a light chuckle. "You haven't even complained about being in a car yet."

With a gentle caress on the back of the brunette's hand, the blond responded with his smile never faltering, "It's exactly what I'm doing."

By the time they got to the apartment, Thomas was already outside with a few cases of beer, a backpack on his back, and a few bags of food.

"Hey, man!" Thomas greeted in a happy tone and held up one of the bags of food. "Helper Andrew wouldn't let us in!"

Bill sighed a bit and walked alongside Dipper to the door and unlocked it for everyone. Once everyone was inside the apartment burst in conversations. Everyone had their own small conversation and Bill helped Thomas unload the items from the bags.

Thomas was happily talking away with Bill when Dipper got pulled away suddenly. Confused, he looked back to see Mia dragging him into the hallway. The brunette male sighed a bit and followed her until she let his arm go.

"What?" he asked with a slightly annoyed tone.

"I wanted to apologize," she bowed her head as she spoke. "I feel like I wasn't very respectful of your relationship while we worked together."

A wave of relief passed over Dipper's chest and he smiled sweetly to her.

"Thank you for recognizing it," he responded, voice a bit calmer than before.

"I hope we can still be friends," she looked up at her nervously.

"Yeah," Dipper nodded and smiled more to her. "I don't see why not."

Suddenly, one of the girls gasped overdramatically out of nowhere. Dipper walked back to the living room to see what was wrong but walked in to see the sight of Wendy holding Angel to her chest and the other girls squealing over the small animal. The brunette went back to Bill and helped him set up the extra table and chairs, even though they knew it wouldn't be enough for everyone.

The counters were covered in take-out and the table ended up getting used for Thomas's smoking equipment. Differently sized bongs were placed on the table and his girlfriend ended up helping him carry in some bongs that were still in his car. When Bill saw the items and started smirking, Thomas held his hands up in defense.

"Hey," he tried to defend himself. "It's legal and you don't have to touch it if you don't want."

Bill shook his head and rolled his eyes, walking away but returning quickly with a large jar of weed completely full. At the sight of the amount of weed there was, Dipper watched as Thomas's jaw dropped and he squealed himself.

"HOW DO YOU HAVE SO MUCH?!" he asked in awe.

"My secret," Bill teased and laughed.

"Hit me up!" Wendy called and walked up to the table.

Most of the party was full of the dancers either trying to do a dance-off, shotgunning with beer, and talking about random things with each other while the only male dancer in the room is focused on getting as much weed into his system as possible. While Mabel stayed away from weed, it didn't stop her from taking shots with Pacifica and definitely didn't stop her from making out with her girlfriend on the couch. A few hours into the party, some of the dancers started calling their boyfriends to either join or pick them up. Turned out, they all wanted to join. As they came,they brought more alcohol and weed and helped themselves.

The apartment finally began to quiet down when the sun started to set. Almost everyone was still there but now with so much alcohol in their systems, they were all beginning to take over the living room with kisses and grinding. Dipper had the kitten in the room and was sure to take everyone's car keys away and hid them in the bedroom so no one drove drunk.

Thomas and his girlfriend were passed out in front of Andrew's door, is the only place where someone wasn't trying to have sex with their lovers. Mia was driven home by Pacifica's driver when one couple actually did start having sex on Bill's couch. Mabel and Pacifica left with her so they wouldn't have to be around it either but they left before the blond could ask them to take everyone else home too.

Bill was fuming in his bedroom a bit, upset that people were having sex in his living room but also fuming over knowing they wouldn't be able to drive themselves home. Although he technically smoked more than anyone else, he wasn't high nor relaxed. Dipper had locked the bedroom door to keep them safe from any drunken mishap but it didn't help calm the blond man down.

Currently, he was smoking out of his own pipe in front of his bed on the floor grumbling to himself about how he should've kept his foot down when he first said no to the party. Dipper sat next to his lover and leaned against him, sighing contently. The former demon looked over to the brunette and pressed a kiss onto his temple.

"I think I know what to do to make you happy," Dipper smiled a bit, thinking about his bad joke. Bill cocked an eyebrow and tilted his head a bit. "We can join them."

Bill laughed and shook his head, pushing Dipper away playfully.

"What's with you constantly trying to get into my pants?" he asked through his laugh.

"Would you allow someone else to?" the brunette questioned.

"Pine Tree," he started and took a long hit off of his pipe before continuing. "We've only been together for a few weeks."

"It feels like I've been with you forever," the brunette commented.

The former demon chuckled and shook his head. "If we're going to be together forever," he pressed. "Then we can wait for sex."

"Are you telling me you're not ready?" Dipper asked with a lighter tone.

Bill chewed on his bottom lip for a moment before nodding. "It's not like I've never had sex," he started to explain. "But sex as a human is different. I heard it's supposed to hurt and this body sucks with pain."

"It's mainly painful for the one on the bottom," the brunette smirked a bit.

"I don't want to put you in pain," Bill pressed.

Acting offended, Dipper rose on his knees and took the items out of Bill's hands before pulling him up and onto the bed. Amused, the blond man laughed and attempted to move away from his lover until Dipper grabbed his waist and pushed him harder against the bed. A little thrown off, the former demon rested on his elbows and looked up to the younger male.

"Trying to prove something, Pine Tree?" he purred and tilted his head.

Dipper grabbed Bill's legs and pushed them up towards his chest, climbing over the blond male a bit and hovered over him with a dead stare in his eyes. The brunette could feel his heart race a bit at the new position and head rushed straight down to his groin. The suggestive position had the former demon speechless, not expecting Dipper to be so bold with his actions. Their crotches were inches away from touching and the brunette moved one of his hands to cup the blond man's cheek and slid his thumb inside his mouth. With a light blush over Bill's cheeks, he closed his lips around his lover's finger and stared deeply into Dipper's eyes.

The younger male removed his finger then crashed their lips together, grounding their hips together roughly. At his movement though, Dipper felt Bill freeze and tense up under his touch, not returning the kiss. Before things could get overwhelming for the brunette, he pulled away and got off the bed, returning the blond man's legs to how they once were.

The former demon pushed himself into a sitting position and he kept his gaze lowered, face burning red. Guilt began eating away at Dipper and he cupped the older man's cheeks to make him look up. The brunette pressed a gentle kiss against his lips.

"Sorry," he whispered against his lips. "I went too far."

Bill stayed silent but leaned against the brunette, moving forward to return the kiss. When he broke the kiss, the blond mumbled against his lips his reply.

"It's okay."

With that, Dipper helped Bill move back down so he may continue his smoking session. The brunette smoked with him and hummed when Angel made her way into his lap.

The high was nice but the guilt from earlier didn't pass. This was now the second time he's done anything remotely sexual without actually getting permission from the former demon. Was this wrong? Did he want it too but isn't saying anything? Feeling frustrated, Dipper reached out for another hit off of the pipe.

Bill was the first one of the couple to make the move to put his items away and changed for bed. Dipper followed suit but before the blond lied down, the brunette pulled him into a tight hug. The former demon immediately returned the hug and nuzzled sleepily into his lover's neck.

"I'm so sorry," Dipper whispered against Bill's ear. The blond man attempted to pull away but the younger male tightened his hold. "Please," he pressed. "You just told me you weren't ready and doing that was wrong. I'm so sorry."

Dipper heard the former demon sigh then felt kisses being pressed to the side of his head.

"It's just me," he mumbled against his lover's ear. "I'm still trying to figure out what this body wants. You keep giving me new emotions to explore."

Pulling away a bit, Dipper pressed their foreheads together. "I promise I won't overstep your boundary again."

The blond man smiled sweetly and tilted his head to give the brunette a loving kiss. After a few moments, he broke the kiss and looked deeply into Dipper's eyes.

"I forgive you."


	21. Chapter 21

With Thomas's help, Bill was able to get everyone out of his apartment as soon as they started to wake up. Dipper began cooking breakfast for themselves while Bill cleaned up the trash that was left around the apartment. Not long after starting to cook, the brunette turned music on full blast to drown out the whining coming from the former demon. That was until he screeched and ran to the kitchen.

"WE HAVE TO BURN THE COUCH!" he exclaimed, looking frazzled. Confused, Dipper rolled his eyes and walked towards the couch.

"I'm pretty sure nothing could be burned worthy," the brunette tried to calm the other down. Once he was in front of the couch, he looked around and shrugged, seeing nothing. "What's wrong with it?"

"It's **_wet_** ," Bill hissed, completely disgusted.

"Did you smell it?" Dipper questioned.

"WHY WOULD I—" Bill's arguing was interrupted by Dipper raising his arms.

"CALM DOWN," the brunette shot at the blond, getting irritated.

"No, I didn't," the blond growled instead and crossed his arms. "Why don't _you_ smell it?"

"I will," Dipper rolled his eyes and leaned forward, taking a small whiff before wincing. "This is cat pee," he concluded.

"OR HUMAN PEE!" the former demon's voice rose straight up again. The brunette straightened and glared at the blond.

"Angel is a kitten," he tried to explain calmly. "Mistakes happen. If it was a _human_ , it would be dry by now. They have been gone long enough and I doubt one of them decided to pee here right before leaving."

Bill stayed quiet and seemed to be fighting with himself. The brunette looked on the top of the cat tree to find Angel curled up and sleeping peacefully.

"Maybe we should put a litter box out here as well," Dipper suggested, stroking her head gently and waking her up. She blinked slowly at the male and stretched her legs out for a few moments before pulling them back in and going back to sleep. "At least until she can recognize her smell and follow it to another room."

"Are you sure it was my sweet, innocent Angel?" the blond asked hesitantly. "Not one of those sex hungry, _fiends_ that crashed here? I'm pretty sure cum from both parties would have ended up on that couch. It's to be burned."

"You're being overdramatic," the younger male concluded, walking back to the kitchen to continue cooking. "Put baking soda on it then a towel with like a book over it. The baking soda will soak up the pee and we can spray it for the smell."

Bill did as he was told and allowed his lover to finish preparing the food. The couple sat at the table that was used for weed the night before and ate peacefully with each other. The apartment reeked of sex so the former demon left the backdoor and windows opened to air the place out. Unfortunately, that allowed the winter air inside and the blond ended up being a freezing mess in front of Dipper, who was surprisingly okay with Gravity Fall's winters.

Due to the cold, Bill retired to his room and sat on the ground with the blanket draped around him. To him, today was a perfect day to smoke and cuddle.

"This doesn't make sense," Dipper huffed a bit while kneeling in front of the shaking man. "You've been in Oregon for 10 years. I mainly have lived in California where winters are a lot warmer than here. How are you not used to this by now?" he teased, chuckling at his lover.

"If you're not going to warm me up," the former demon glared and spoke through shivers. "Then make yourself useful and make me hot chocolate."

The brunette laughed happily and kissed Bill gently. "I can warm you up," he purred against his lover's lips. The blond rolled his eyes and playfully pushed Dipper back a bit.

"Might want to get yourself some water," he smirked. "You're sounding a bit thirsty."

Dipper allowed himself to get pushed and stood up. "I don't think water is what I want to drink," he stated in a sultry tone and grinned more at the sight of Bill's face turning a shade of pink.

"Fuck you," he pouted.

"Okay," Dipper shrugged and quickly dodged a pillow suddenly being thrown his way. The brunette laughed and continued dodging the soft items the blond started throwing.

Dipper returned to the room with two large cups of hot chocolate in his hands and sat next to Bill, who cleaned the mess he made before settling back down. The former demon's marijuana box was out and propped up to be used as a table. After placing the cups down on, he brunette cuddled under the blanket next to his lover.

"So," the brunette relaxed and looked over to the blond, who had started smoking. "How long do I have to wait until you tell me?"

Immediately knowing what he was talking about, Bill placed the pipe down and sighed out his hit.

"Can I tell you after the holidays?" he asked gently.

"Is it important?" the brunette pushed.

"Well, yeah," the older man admitted.

"Then why don't you want to tell me now?" he questioned.

Bill closed his eyes and shrugged, shaking his head a bit. "I, honestly, don't know how to tell you right now," he explained slowly. "I want to process this first then I will. I just want to focus on enjoying everything."

Dipper stayed quiet for a few minutes and watched the blond take another hit. "Is it even going to be okay if you wait?" he asked suddenly. "Like is something coming up that I need to know about?"

"Waiting won't affect anything," the blond answered, trying to sound hopeful.

"So," the brunette thought about the answer for a moment before continuing. "You're not, like, _sick_ or anything, right?"

"Do I _look_ sick to you?" he smirked a bit. "You're worrying too much. If I was sick, you would be able to see."

"Okay," Dipper nodded, feeling reinsured. "I'll wait then."

"Did Pacifica ever find out who was taking photos of you?" Bill asked, in an attempt to change the subject, while replacing the pipe in his hands with the mug of hot chocolate.

"She didn't tell me anything yet," the brunette sighed a bit. "I'll ask Mabel when I see her again. Have you gotten anything from them since?" Bill shook his head while drinking some of the hot drink. Dipper shrugged and leaned against the bed. "I have a gross feeling it has to do with Mia," he admitted with a scowl on his face.

"She couldn't have taken the photos," the blond shook his head. "She was in them."

"She could have hired someone," Dipper argued a bit.

"Still doubt it," he stated before taking a long sip from his cup.

"We'll find out," the brunette reassured.

The day went as desired; they only left the bedroom to eat. They spent the day telling stories and playing around with Bill's guitar. Dipper was amazed to see how happy the man looked while singing and playing. As if this is what he actually _would_ have done if he was never a demon in the first place. Angel had eventually joined them in the room, sleeping on the smaller tree in the room to be closer to her owners.

The days following up to Christmas were spent with walks in the barely sticking snow, playing with Angel, and cuddling in the warmth of each other. Bill kept the couch, deciding he would forgive his kitten for her accident. Dipper was able to talk his lover into leaving the apartment for one day, the 22nd, to get gifts for his family. While it was Bill's idea to get the gifts and provided the money, he didn't actually _want_ to go out. Thankfully, they were able to get all the gifts from one store so they were done rather quickly, leaving them to wrap them for the holiday.

Christmas morning, Dipper was woken up with Bill straddling his hips. The brunette's eyes widened at the sight and he attempted to sit up, only to get pushed back down to the bed. The room was still dark and silent, just the sound of their breathing filling the room. The blond kissed his lover deeply and the younger male didn't hesitate to kiss back. The brunette's hands trailed up the former demon's arms and he pulled him closer, deepening the kiss. After a few minutes of kissing, Dipper felt something slick against his bottom lip. His heart skipped a beat, easily opening his mouth to accept Bill's tongue inside and tilted his head. A moan escaped Dipper's throat and he felt himself getting harder by the second. Unconsciously, he bucked his hips and felt the former demon slam their hips together.

Excitement ran through the brunette's mind and he opened his legs, feeling the blond man's erection growing against his own. Chills ran down Dipper's spine at the feeling and moans were just spilling out into the kiss.

Thinking back to when the brunette last attempted anything sexual with his lover, he remembers Bill confirming he wasn't ready. Is he now? What changed? A small playful whine escaped in between the kisses, realizing if they did have sex, he wouldn't be on top. Dipper's arms moved around the blond man's waist and held him tightly, bucking his hips continuously upwards.

Bill pulled his lover out of his thoughts when he broke the kiss and began kissing down his face and throat. Without thinking much, Dipper rolled and switched their position. Now, the younger male had the former demon pinned against the bed. His arms were being held above him while the brunette had his hips pressing firmly against the blonds. They were both panting hard and staring into each other's eyes.

"Merry Christmas to you too," Dipper chuckled through pants. Bill bit his bottom lip but didn't move. "Did someone have a naughty dream?" he teased, smiling widely when his lover blushed. "Are you sure you're ready?" he asked excitedly, feeling hopeful that they could take things all the way.

The blond hesitated to answer. "N-not all the way," he mumbled, the lust in his eyes never leaving.

Dipper felt his heart jump with glee. Even if they didn't go all the way yet, this would be better than nothing! After nodding quickly, the brunette smashed their lips together again for a passionate moment before kissing towards his ear.

"Let me take care of you," he purred softly before kissing down his neck. Even in the cold, Bill still only slept in his boxers; claiming it gets too hot with anything else.

Shy moans began spilling out of the blond as Dipper massages his thighs and made his way down his lover's chest. Once his kisses reached the waistband of the boxers, he pulled back for a moment to slid the last article of clothing off. Watching the former demon's erection spring to life was jaw-dropping. It was now a fact that Bill had been at least blessed with a beautiful body all the way down to a long and thick penis. The head curved upwards and the tip was leaking precum. Looking back up to the former demon, Dipper could see him attempting to hide his face from what his lover was about to do.

The brunette smiled and settled comfortably in between Bill's legs, wrapping his slender fingers around the base of his erection. He placed a gentle kiss to the tip and heard the older man gasp and mewled when Dipper's lips parted, taking in just the tip.

"D-Dipper," Bill moaned out softly, moving one hand down to hold onto his hair.

The sound of his name coming from the blond man's throat was causing Dipper's own erection to ache. He slowly lowered himself and engulfed the erection as much as before. A needs groan escaped the former demon's lips and he closed his eyes tightly, tightening his grip on the brunette locks. A sensation of pride was growing in the younger man's chest, feeling happy about the noises he was capable of being out of his precious lover.

Dipper bobbed his head slowly, stroking the remaining length he couldn't take into his mouth, and massaging his balls to add more pleasure. This being the first time the brunette successfully going down on someone, he felt proud that watching so much porn in high school possibly worked out. When he began swirling his tongue around Bill's length, the older man was bucking his hips and attempted to push Dipper's head further down his member. The brunette could feel the vein pulsing in his mouth and did his best to push the member down his throat before pulling away to cough and gag.

The sound caused Bill to sit up and stare at Dipper in worry and he removed his hand. "D-did I choke you?" he asked, face flushed and his eyes dilated. The brunette swallowed some of the presume that was in his mouth before placing a kiss on the former demon's lips, pushing his tongue inside his mouth to force the blond to taste himself.

After the kiss was broken, Dipper whispered huskily against Bill's lips, "You're supposed to choke me." With that statement, the brunette moved back down to the raging erection that stood proudly. The older man's hands returned to the brunette hair and gripped the strands, forcing his head further down a bit.

The younger male hummed in approval and continued to bob his head, half allowing Bill to move his head as he pleased. Dipper reached down to his own aching erection and pulled it out of his sweats, pumping it slowly. The former demon was too lost in the pleasure of getting his first ever blow job to notice the brunette's actions. The hand that was still on the blond man's base tightened its grip, pushing out more pleasant sounds that were just music to the brunette's ears.

Bill's hips suddenly jerked up and he closed his eyes tightly, moaning Dipper's name one last time before releasing deep in his mouth. The blond man was sweating and panting hard, trembling from the orgasm. After making sure every drop was swallowed, the younger male pulled away and kissed his lover deeply and passionately, releasing his grip on his own still hard erections. The former demon caught a glimpse of the erection that was sprung from the brunette and wrapped one of his hand around it.

Dipper cupped the man's cheeks to keep their lips together, thrusting slowly into Bill's hand. Although he was a bit worried about these actions, the blond man's grip tightened and pumped along, meeting his thrusts. Groaning into his mouth, the brunette crawled on his lover's lap but hovered over Bill's abused penis that was slowly getting smaller after getting off. The blond attempted to keep his composure and proceeded to allow Dipper to thrust into his hand.

The stimulation from the grip caused the brunette's stomach to slip and the lips on his own were more than enough to help overload him with want. Their tongues danced together and his thrusting never died down. It wasn't until Bill broke the kiss and began kissing and nipping at Dipper's neck that he finally came. The white substance trickled down the older man's chest and they both were shaking in pleasure from their actions.

Once their breathing calmed down, Dipper gave his lover one final kiss before leaving the room to get a towel to clean up the mess that was made on his chest. After Bill was cleaned off and dressed, Dipper was pulled back to the bed and held against the blond man's chest. He relaxed against his lover for a moment and listened to the beating of his heart.

They stayed in bed until they got hungry and proceeded to get ready to visit the Shack for the holiday. After showering though, Dipper noticed that Bill had purposely turned away from him to get dressed. The brunette watched his lover admiringly and checked the man out as he dressed. He wore a yellow dress shirt, a black sweater vest, slacks, and dress shoes. The blond man turned around once he was done and jumped back a bit when he noticed Dipper staring.

"What?" he asked in a confused tone.

"Why did you turn away?" Dipper gave him a small smile and tilted his head, eyes trailing down the blond man's front. "I wanted to see everything."

Bill's face turned a tint pink and he hugged himself a bit, seeming to be shy. "You already saw everything," he pouted.

The actions confused Dipper. He thought the blond would feel more comfortable and confident after what they did. Maybe he didn't do as good of a job as he had hoped?

The brunette ignored his thoughts and smirked, walking closer to the former demon. "I want to see all of you every chance in the day I get to," he purred and kissed Bill lightly.

"Maybe later," he mumbled against Dipper's lips then pulled away to walk out of the room.

Dipper watched the man leave and sighed to himself before getting dressed. Maybe he just needed time? The brunette wore dark jeans with a white, long-sleeved button-up and a sweater over. His shoes weren't dressed shoes but they were a nicer pair of walking shoes. Once he left the room, he found Bill in the bathroom combing his hair back while it was still wet from his shower. Smiling at the concentrated male, Dipper stepped behind him and wrapped his arms around his waist.

"Are you ready to go, my love?" the brunette asked against the blond man's ear. He watched in the mirror as the former demon smiled and met his eyes through the mirror.

"I guess," he answered and dropped his arms, leaning back against his lover a bit. "Don't forget the gifts."

With coats on and gifts in hand, they left the apartment.

By the time they arrived at the Shack, Bill was basically trembling in fear. Dipper was the first to open the door and immediately heard voices talking from the living room. A smile grew on the brunette's face and he gripped the bag of gifts in his hand excitedly as he walked in. Quickly, he glanced back at the blond to make sure he was still following and saw him taking his jacket off. Dipper followed suit and placed them in the coat closet close to the front door. Once they got into the living room, Dipper saw Stan in his regular chair with a new couch set up with his parents and Mabel talking with Ford who was standing and chatting happily. Stan was the first to notice them and stood up right away.

"Dipper!" he called out, smiling happily and getting everyone else's attention.

Suddenly, the brunette was pulled into the room for hugs and greetings. The gifts were left next to the tree that was in the corner of the room where the tree stood with the others, temporarily forgotten. Mabel walked to Bill to greet him while their parents gawked over her twin.

"My baby!" his mom, Kayla, was holding his face and inspecting him as if she hasn't seen him in years. "You look so handsome! How is my baby doing?"

Dipper was chuckling at his mom' excitement and pulled away from her touch. "I've been good," he answered and looked over to Bill who was chatting with the blond. "I have someone for you guys to meet," he told his parents.

"Is it that spunky blond with your sister?" his dad, Jordan, asked and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Is that Bill?" Ford asked in a lowered voice. Dipper nodded and the Stan brothers looked at each other for a moment before giving the former demon their attention.

Mabel pulled the blond closer to the group and the brunette male slid their hands together. Bill looked worried and looked from between the older twins to his lover's parents.

"This is Bill," he announced proudly while smiling brightly. "Bill, these are my parents and you already know Grunkle Stan and Grunkle Ford."

The former demon waved awkwardly and gave them a small smile. Kayla reached out and grabbed the hand waving between both of her own.

"Is this your _boyfriend_ , Mason?" she asked excitedly. At the title, Stan huffed up a bit and Ford stared at Dipper intensively, both waiting for the answer. The younger male hesitated for a moment; he knew he was going to tell his Grunkles but he still was nervous about their reaction.

"Yes," the brunette male answered, trying to sound confident. Stan's eyes narrowed a bit while grumbling under his breath and Ford sighed and pinched his nose in frustration. Dipper's parents, on the other hand, accepted the news very well.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, son!" Jordan took Bill's hand from his wife and patted his shoulder with his free one.

"We've been _waiting_ for our Little Dipper to introduce us to someone," Kayla squealed a bit.

"It's nice to meet you both," Bill spoke shyly and gave them a smile.

"Mabel," Stan walked away from the group while shaking his head. "What else do we need to do for food?"

Perking up, his sister began to list off the foods that were done along with the few that were still cooking. The two of them left to finish dinner and it didn't take long before Ford followed them. Now with the new couple alone with his parents, his mom pulled them to the couch and they proceeded to ask a dozen questions.

"Do you work?" his dad immediately asked, sitting next to his wife and held her hand while speaking.

"I'm a professor for music theory," Bill responded, sounding a bit more comfortable since the other two twins were out of the room.

"A professor?" Jordan repeated, sounding impressed.

"Mason," his mom gawked. "Was _he_ your professor?"

Dipper nodded but blushed. "I-I technically met him when Mabel and I came up here when we were 12."

"How did you two meet then?" Kayla inquired. "I want to hear your love story!"

 _Shit._

They didn't have a backup story with how they met! The brunette nervously looked at Bill who had looked back at him with a worried expression. The looks on their faces weren't ignored though.

"I'm assuming it wasn't a good meeting?" his mom asked, a bit confused.

"W-well," Dipper hesitated, trying to think of something quick.

"I was evil," Bill quickly said and closed his eyes, bowing his head a bit. "I was really mean when he was younger. I'm older than him so he kind of became a target for me."

"So," Kayla looked at her husband for a moment before looking back to her son. "You've changed?"

The blond opened his eyes and nodded, looking back at Dipper, who was already staring at him.

"It's kind of crazy how much he changed," the brunette tore his eyes away from his lover's and gave a sweet smile to his parents. "It was funny running into him first. I didn't even recognize him at first."

"I'm assuming that's why Stan and Ford already knew him?" his dad asked. Dipper nodded again and leaned against the blond.

"They didn't know we were together before today," the younger male explained gently. His parents began nodding in understanding and leaned against each other.

"That makes sense," his mom's voice was soft but she was still smiling brightly to them. "Well, I'm happy to see you so happy, Mason."

"Our Little Dipper is turning into the Big Dipper," his dad pretended to cry and wiped away invisible tears.

"You're such a dork," his mom giggled and shook her head.

They continued chatting about school and when Mabel joined the room, she brought up the concert. They sang little snippets from their songs while Ford and Stan remained in the kitchen. Once Bill was finally getting more comfortable, Ford entered the room.

"Dinner's ready," he called to his family.

Everyone left the room and entered the kitchen to see Stan placing the final place and utensils on the big table that is in place of the once smaller table. The table was decorated in different foods.

"New table?" Dipper asked, taking his seat.

"Nah," Stan grumbled, sitting at one of the edges of the table. "Just got this last week."

Suddenly, there was a knock and Dipper hears Mabel squeal and run to the door. Bill took a seat next to Dipper, making sure he wasn't sitting close to one of the older twins.

"Wonder who that is?" his mother wondered to her husband as they sat across from her son and the blond. Ford took a seat next to his parents, leaving the last two seats for Mabel and her guest.

"Probably Pacifica," Dipper answered, knowing Mabel would only squeal like that for her girlfriend.

"That's her girlfriend, right?" Jordan asked, smiling to his wife. "Man, who knew this town had the people our children would end up with?"

"I know," Kayla giggled, both of his parents speaking as if no one were around.

Dipper smiled while watching his parents.

"Cool it," Stan huffed, sending his parents a glare. "Neither of them is married, just dating."

"What if I wanted to marry her then?" Mabel's voice suddenly filled the room. Everyone looked to see Pacifica walking in behind her, gripping onto her hand tightly.

"You guys barely have been dating," their Grunkle argued back a bit.

"We support you with whatever decision you pick," their dad pressed, giving Stan a warning look. "Right, Stanley?"

The elder man grunted in response but didn't respond.

"Who is this, sweetie?" Kayla tried changing the subject, smiling sweetly to her daughter.

"This is Pacifica!" the brunette girl cheered. The blonde female seemed a bit calm and didn't hesitate to smile and wave to their parents.

"It's a pleasure to meet both of you," she greeted professionally.

"She's very beautiful," Jordan commented, smirking a bit. "Wow, you both like blondes, huh?"

Dipper and Mabel laughed and shook their head.

"It just happened," Mabel took her seat at the other end of the table and Pacifica sat next to Bill, giving him a small wave that he returned.

"Let's eat!" Ford piped in randomly, ignoring the unhappiness radiating off of his twin.

While everyone moved and began filling their plates with food, Dipper noticed Bill not moving an inch.

"Hey," he whispered softly to the blond, getting his attention. "Are you okay?"

The former demon smiles a bit and nodded. "Just nervous," he admitted quietly. The brunette male smiled back then proceeded to begin filling Bill's plate as well as his own. Caught off guard, the blond sat up a bit more. "I-it's okay," he kept his voice low, not wanting others to hear.

"Don't worry about it," Dipper chuckled and finished up.

Everyone dug into the food after saying a short thanks to each other.

"So," Jordan finished filling his plate and smirked over to Pacifica. "Do you work?"

The blonde girl shook her head and swallowed the food she was eating. "I'm just in school," she explained. "I'm a Northwest so I'll be taking over my parent's empire once they retire. For now, I'm just taking classes for my hobbies."

"How did you meet our daughter?" Kayla asked with the same excitement she had when speaking to Bill.

"She lived here when we visited years ago," Mabel chimed in. "We used to be friends! When I came back, Bro-Bro over here asked me to join his school because he didn't want to spy on his teacher alone." Her tone was teasing and made her brother blush.

"Mabel," the brunette twin scowled. The girls just laughed happily and her parents followed her. Even Bill was smiling at him, knowing what she was talking about.

"Dipper and I had a class together," Pacifica continued explaining when their laughter died down. "I asked for her number and we hit it off."

"That's so sweet," their mom held a hand over her heart.

"I'm proud of both of you," their dad joined in.

"Well, I'm not," Stan interrupted suddenly.

The room became tense and Dipper began chewing on his bottom lip, looking down when Bill suddenly grabbed his hand under the table. Both of the parents stared hard at the elder man in silence. Ford suddenly cleared his throat and looked between the two couples. Jordan looked over to the other twin while Kayla remained to stare at Stan.

"We're just worried," he attempted to explain his twin's sudden outburst. "Neither of us is experienced with love, so don't mind if we're not too warming."

This seemed to calm their parents down for a moment, seeing that Kayla finally broke her stare. She smiled sweetly to both of the blondes in between her kids.

"We support you guys," she stated. Pacifica and Bill nodded to the parents before attempting to eat again.

The conversation changed to what their parents have been up to along with any updates from other family members that they aren't too close with. The former demon stopped eating before his plate was empty, telling Dipper he was simply full. He remained at the table with the rest of the family, listening to the conversation but being careful not to say anything. When Dipper's plate was empty, he began picking food off of the blond man's plate and held their hands together under the table once again. One by one, the plates were emptying but no one was moving from their spot, changing the topic to one where Ford and Stan actually spoke in. There was a lull in the conversation and Bill squeezed the brunette male's hand lightly to get his attention.

"I need to pee," he whispered into his lover's ear.

"Want me to take you?" Dipper asked softly but the blond shook his head.

"I'll be back," he stated and excused himself from the table, remembering where the bathroom was after years of watching the Shack as a demon.

The room remained deadly silent once his presence was gone. Stan visibly tensed up and faced Dipper fully.

"How long are you going to keep this up?" he asked suddenly, catching everyone off guard. The brunette male stared at his Grunkle in shock.

"What are you talking about?" he asked, confused about what he was saying.

"You're dating him?" Stan questioned. "You were supposed to keep an eye on him. You could have done so much better, what happened to that dancer girl? She was into you!"

"Stan," Kayla growled in warning but the elder man shook his head and looked at her.

"You don't know who the fuck that guy is," he stated harshly. "If you knew what we knew, you wouldn't be so welcoming."

"What happened in the past can stay there," Jordan chimed in, narrowing his eyes at the man. "Don't bring my son down because he found love."

"Love?" Stan laughed. "You call _that_ love? No. That **_thing_** cannot love. Man, Dipper," he narrowed his eyes and stared at his nephew with disappointment written on his face. "What lie did you tell them?"

"I did not lie to them," Dipper argued.

"Oh, so, you told them exactly who he was?" he boomed. Dipper shook his head suddenly and felt his heart racing hard. "Or did you not say anything at all?"

"Don't," he pleaded.

"No, Dipper!" the old man stood up from his space, glaring hard at him before looking back to his parents.

"It doesn't matter," his mom tried to argue.

"It _does_ ," Stan pressed. "Ford! Tell them!"

Dipper looked over to his other Grunkle who was just sitting there silently, watching everything until he was called. He sighed heavily and looked over Jordan and Kayla.

"Grunkle Stan," Mabel stood up. "Stop. This won't help anything."

"It might not, pumpkin, but they deserve to know the truth," he argued. "Especially if your brother is sleeping with a fucking _demon_."

"He is NOT a demon!" Dipper stood up with his fists balled to his sides. His parents were now conflicted, now realizing there was probably more to this than they think.

"Oh, right, forgive me," Stan held his hands up in defense but his tone was sarcastic. "He _was_ a demon. After trying to kill not only yourselves, but your family, this town, the ENTIRE fucking world, AND THE GODDAMN UNIVERSE!" he roared to Dipper who flinched at his words. "He was supposed to fucking die! But no. He comes back as a GODDAMN HUMAN and you PITIED HIM."

The brunette started shaking his head, wanting to find the voice to argue but his throat was tied in a knot. Anxiety, fear, and sadness were sinking into his chest at the sight of how much his Grunkle hated his lover.

"Stop it, Stan!" Mabel tried pipping in, only to be ignored by Stan.

"Where's your voice now, kid?" Stan hissed. "You pitied him and became his friend. You were only supposed to keep an eye on him through school, NOT as a friend. And now? Is he that fucking easy? Is he a good fuck? Worth losing your family over? Dammit, that tracking device was supposed to kill him!" he hit the table with his fists and everyone flinched. Tears were perking in his eyes at this point, feeling defeated and beaten down.

The brunette looked at his parents who were looking past him with a devastated look on their face. His heart dropped and he slowly turned around only to see Bill standing at the entry of the kitchen.

"Bill," Dipper whispered as a tear fell down his face. As soon as he voiced his name, the former demon stepped away out of the room and his eyes fell to the ground, turning away and going towards the door. "Wait," the brunette pushed the chair out of his way and he ran after his lover who now had his coat in his hand and was halfway out the door. "BILL!" he called and ran after the blond.

The dark Christmas night was bitter cold and the blond had his coat on in a matter of seconds, walking as fast as he could away from the Shack. Dipper didn't grab his coat but he didn't care, all that matter to him was stopping Bill. The brunette was fast walking right behind the blond, trying to keep up with him.

"Bill," he tried.

"Leave me alone," the former demon barked, not turning around.

"Please, how much did you hear?" he asked.

"The bathroom isn't that fucking far," the blond growled. "I heard everything."

"Please, don't listen to Stan," Dipper reached out and touched the blond man's arm. Bill stopped suddenly and turned around, hurt written all over his face.

"I shouldn't have listened to you!" he snapped. "You were supposed to keep an eye on me? Did you even _want_ to be my friend?" Dipper hesitated for a moment and attempted to place his hands on Bill's shoulders to only get them shoved off quickly. "Tell me the **_truth_**! I can't lie to you, why can't you do me the same courtesy?"

The brunette male swallowed hard and felt more tears building up in his eyes and his heart dropping further into his stomach. "Mabel told me to be friends with you," he admitted and watched as the former demon teared up and stepped away from him. "I was supposed to just keep an eye on you but when we found out you were human, we felt bad!"

"I _told you_ , don't feel pity!" Bill wailed. "I don't need pity. I don't need friendship built off of pity. You _lied_. You told me you didn't have pity, why did you lie?"

"It's not pity," he tried to argue but the blond just scoffed and turned away, walking away once again. Dipper quickly followed and felt his heart beating in his throat. "Please, believe me!"

"Why should I?" he growled while wiping his eyes, not turning back. "You're a damn liar."

"I wouldn't lie to you over anything big," Dipper pressed. "I swear, I wasn't expecting things to go so far."

This caused Bill to stop in his tracks and he turned and stared at the brunette in disbelief. "You really expect me to believe that?" he questioned and shook his head. "That's the typical bullshit in romance movies. Didn't expect it to get this far? You told me you cared about me. That you didn't pity me. When in reality, you did pity me. You didn't want to be my friend. If it weren't for your sister, you wouldn't have tried, huh? You would have just listened to your Grunkles and just _watched_." The brunette felt silent tears slide out of his eyes, realizing how everything he has done is looking to the former demon. As he continued to speak, Bill's eyes grew darker and more distance. "Now knowing this, do you really expect me to believe that you just so happen to change your mind? You heard Stan. I tried to kill everyone. Why did I expect anything else but hatred from you guys?" The blond stopped talking and turned away when Dipper tried to reach out to him. "Go back and leave me alone."

The brunette stood in his spot stunned for a few minutes before walking again, this time keeping a distance to make sure Bill got back to the apartment safely. Once they got there, the blond attempted to close the brunette out but he pushed his way in.

"I'm done talking to you," Bill growled when Dipper entered.

"Bill, please," he tried to plead. "I'm sorry, okay? I should have been honest but I do care about you. I don't want to lose you, you mean too much to me."

"Then why didn't you tell me that tracker could kill me?" he demanded, glaring at the younger with a look of betrayal. Dipper hesitated to answer, not really sure of the answer himself. "This is what you guys planned, huh?"

"What?" Dipper started shaking his head again. "No one planned on this."

"I don't believe you," his voice was cold, absolutely nothing like the voice from this morning. "You guys were planning on killing me, huh? You knew I wouldn't go around anyone else. You gained my trust to insert that thing to kill me if I was a demon, huh? To your shock, as well as my own, I lived. Now suddenly that girl came around and became your fangirl? Did you ask her to come around? Are you planning on leaving me? Is that why you gave me Angel? You said the cat will give me 'another reason to go through everything,' right? Was it to help a breakup?" Throughout asking all his assumptions, his hands began shaking and his eyes were spilling silent tears.

Dipper was speechless. None of the assumptions were true but even with the brunette shaking his head, Bill didn't seem like he believed him at all. The former demon turned away from the brunette and walked towards his bedroom. Not wanting to give up, the younger male moved forward and wrapped his arms around Bill's waist and burst into tears against his back.

"None of it is true," he sobbed, squeezing his lover. "Please, believe me."

"Let me go," the blond was shaking in Dipper's hold, sobbing silently himself.

"I love you," he cried into the former demon's back. This wasn't the best thing to say, apparently.

Bill elbowed Dipper in the stomach and forced him to let go, falling to his kneed from the pain. The blond turned around and glared at the brunette on the ground.

"Stop _lying_ to me!" the older man cried in a broken voice. "I fucking get it! You're a damn good actor! You go and laugh with your family about how much you tricked me! Go and tell them how much you hurt me! You got your revenge, just LEAVE!"

Dipper stayed on the ground and bowed his head, sobbing in front of the blond.

"I'm so sorry," he tried but Bill groaned and walked around the sobbing man and back to the door.

"Get your shit and leave," he demanded and slammed the door shut, leaving Dipper alone in the apartment.


	22. Chapter 22

Pacifica and Mabel picked Dipper up once he was done with packing. The back seat of the limo was covered in his bags and his sister's eyes were burning holes into the side of his face. Unasked questions lingered in the car until the limo stopped in front of the Shack. No one moved when the car stopped and the brunette male finally lifted his head to meet Mabel's eyes.

"How much do they know?" he asked numbly, his voice weak from crying.

"Ford told them everything," she explained slowly. "When they were done, I explained what you told me."

"And?" he sighed, voice faltering.

"Mom went off on Stan," she answered. "Dad is upset too. They're both staying and making Ford share Stan's room until things get better."

"Sounds exactly like her," he mumbled and bit his bottom lip. "They accept him? Even with knowing?"

"He's human now," she explained. "Your past can only haunt you for so long. Sooner or later, you need to forgive what happened and move on. Holding onto the past does nothing but bring depression and anxiety. Seeing that they both wouldn't forgive him? It's clear that they haven't healed to what happened. Haven't properly processed it and moved on from it. That's not Bill's fault; not anymore at least."

Tears perked in Dipper's eyes again. Maybe if they were there it would be different but he appreciates his parent's mindset. Arms wrapped around the brunette male and he leaned against his sister, letting tears begin to flow out of his eyes.

"He left me," he sobbed into her shoulder. "I lost him." Mabel's arms tightened around him and his tears thickening, feeling his heart wrench and twist. The pain from his chest made it hurt to breathe, feeling dull, hollow pain caused more tears to choke out onto her shoulder. Dipper's vision was blurred through his tears and his world started to darken. All the strength that was in his body left in a moment, leaving himself leaning against his twin for dear life. Arms began wrapping themselves from his back and he felt his sister push him back a bit, getting more comfortable as both Mabel and Pacifica hugged him.

After ten minutes of crying, Dipper's chest began to numb up and he pulled himself away from the warm embraces from the girls. They quietly carried his items inside and Dipper didn't bother looking around to see if anyone was nearby. Although they were quiet enough to not get seen by anyone else, Dipper did take note of his mother's voice in a shouting match with Stan. Once in his room, he changed and lied down, uncaring of the females in the room. Mabel gave him a kiss on the head before leaving, knowing he wanted to be alone. Before drifting off to sleep, the brunette sent Bill a few messages that he knew wouldn't be returned.

The next morning, Dipper was woken up from someone stroking his face. His eyes flickered opened and he squinted at the person sitting on his bed, watching him sleep. The brunette moved to rub his exhausted eyes and looked again, recognizing his mom.

"Good morning, sweetie," she greeted quietly. "How are you feeling?"

Dipper's arms relaxed on his stomach and he stared at his mom with an empty expression. Catching onto his silent answer, Kayla leaned down and placed a kiss on his forehead.

"Mabel told us," she whispered softly. Upon the remainder of the previous day, Dipper turned away from her and faced the wall. Tears were parked in his eyes again as his heart began wrenching again in pain. "I'm sorry," she whispered then lied down behind him, hugging her son tightly. "Sometimes this happens in relationships. That doesn't mean you lost him forever," she explained soothingly while stroking his hair. "Give him some space and try again. There's no way he won't forgive you. After everything that happened, he had to have been very afraid to face your mean Grunkles again."

While listening to her words, Dipper turned himself around with tears falling down his face. "I love him," he whispered weakly. Kayla pulled her son close and kissed his forehead.

"I know, sweetie," she hummed. "It'll be okay."

"I miss him," the brunette make whispered weakly to his mom, sobbing quietly to her.

There was a soft knock on the door before it opened and Dipper felt his mother wiping away his tears when he looked to see who walked in. He saw his dad walking up to the duo on the bed and climbed in on the other side of Dipper, leaving him sandwiched between his parents.

Although he was encouraged to get out of bed and try to make himself happy, Dipper refused to leave the room and instead, spent his time attempting to call and text Bill. Of course, all his attempts were failures and he left a few voicemails apologizing and asking the blond to call back. Mabel and his parents visited him a few times throughout the day to bring him food and attempt to bring him out of his room. Ford at one point attempted to enter but the brunette refused to look at him. The elder didn't apologize, he had just attempted to get Dipper out of the room. Stan never entered.

This routine continued for the days. Mabel attempted to cheer her brother up multiple times but the more Bill didn't respond, the further Dipper felt himself giving up on self-care. Their parents lied with him every day, allowing him to use them for support when he needed to cry. Jordan started getting calls from his work, asking when he would return. Thankfully, because of his position, he was able to get some of his work temporarily transferred to a nearby city. Kayla, on the other hand, ended up taking a personal leave with her work for a month to stay by her son's side.

At the end of the week, Dipper left his room for the restroom but since it was so late at night, he went downstairs to get himself a glass of water. Halfway down the stairs, he heard voices from the living room. The brunette stopped closeby in an attempt to listen to the conversation from whoever was in the room.

"I've looked everywhere," he heard his Grunkle Stan's voice. "I can't find the fucker anywhere."

"Did you check his apartment?" he heard his mom's voice ask.

"Of course I did!" Stan growled.

"Watch it," Jordan half-heartedly snapped. "You're the reason we're in this mess."

"I'm trying to fix it!" Stan argued, raising his voice.

"Stanley, quiet down," Ford's voice came in. "The kids are sleeping."

"Why can't we just use that damn tracking device?" Stan asked with an irritated tone.

"Because I promised to only look at it if they were in danger," Ford explained in the same irritated tone as his twin. "We already messed things up, I'm not going to do more to make Dipper not trust me."

"You don't think he's in danger considering we can't find him?" Stan asked accusingly.

"If he was, I would be alerted," Ford snapped back. "Why are you now so deep into finding him? You haven't spoken to Dipper yet, what makes you think Bill would want to talk to you?"

"You think the kid would forgive me without proving I'm sorry?" Stan questioned, throwing Dipper off a bit.

The brunette chewed on his bottom lip and stared at the ground. While he knew Stan would apologize at some point, he didn't think he would also attempt to apologize to the former demon.

"I think the longer you wait, he won't," Ford's voice hissed.

"Fine," Stan growled and there was movement in the room, possibly from him standing up. "I'll talk to him in the morning. If he doesn't talk to me, I'm going to say 'I told you so!.'"

Quickly and quietly, Dipper slid away from the room and bolted for the stairs, thinking Stan was about to leave the room. Once back and safe in his bed, the brunette let out his breath he didn't realize he was holding. His heart was racing hard, afraid of getting caught. Dipper wasn't ready to talk with his Grunkle yet, but after knowing the man was trying to find Bill to apologize was comforting. That leads his thoughts to the blond former demon. Was he actually missing? Where would he go?

Thinking back to what Stan was saying, he only got a sure answer that he wasn't at his apartment. Why? He doubts the blond would leave Angel alone and if he left, he was sure Andrew would have followed. Maybe he just happened to be out when Stan checked? Maybe he was there but just didn't answer? That could have been it. The temptation was growing inside to message the former demon again, regardless of knowing he wouldn't get a response.

With his mind full of new thoughts and questions, Dipper found himself now wide awake with no possible chance of sleep in the nearby future. His mind ran wild until the sun began to rise. The light entered the room, the brunette male pulled himself out of bed and showered for the first time that week. Everyone in the house was still asleep so Dipper stayed quiet as he packed up a few items in a backpack and left as soon as possible.

The morning air was cold against Dipper's warm cheeks. As he was walking away from the Shack, he noticed Soos driving up and parking. When the older man noticed the brunette, he brightened up and waved happily.

"Good morning, Dipper!" he called over. Dipper gave the manager a big smile and waved back.

"Hey, Soos!" he greeted.

The greeting was short considering Soos had to do some work before opening the shop. Dipper walked around town for a few hours, going through stores and parks to see if he could just happen to run into the blond in public. Unfortunately, he had no luck. The brunette spent another few hours checking the forest, going from the meadow they had a school assignment on to areas he had only visited when he was a child. Next was Bill's apartment, even though Dipper had doubts he would even answer if he was there. Upon arriving, he noticed Andrew walking out of the apartment with a trash bag in hand. Not once has Dipper seen the man come out of the room, let alone do housework. Confusion settled in his stomach and he ran up to the helper.

"Andrew," he called, jogging up to his side. The taller man turned to stare at the brunette and his grip tightened on the bag.

"What are you doing here?" he asked in annoyance.

"Where is Bill?" Dipper asked, ignoring the tone.

"You don't need to know," Andrew responded coldly.

"Is he inside?" Dipper continued to question.

"I told you to stay away from him," he growled.

"Why don't you just tell me?" the brunette asked, sounding a bit defeated.

"Why don't you just leave?" the black-haired man asked back.

"Fuck you," Dipper growled, getting irritated.

"Back at ya," Andrew walked past the fuming brunette, throwing the trash into the garbage bin before walking back to the apartment. "Don't come back."

Dipper watched him in disbelief, feeling rage boil inside of his chest. "Fucking prick," he groaned to himself, turning to walk away from the complex.

The brunette walked back to the Shack, still fuming about what happened. He had been out literally all day and the closest he had gotten had been shut down. Even without an exact answer though, Dipper was sure Bill had been home. Once he got back and opened the front door, the smell of fresh food hit him in the face. It had been close to 7 pm and Dipper just realized he hadn't eaten anything all day. The only thing he consumed that day was just water. His stomach ached but he still didn't feel too hungry.

Before the brunette could get to the stairs, he was suddenly jerked back and into a tight hug.

"Where were you?!" Dipper hears Mabel's worried voice ask. "You didn't answer anyone's texts or calls! I was about to go to the police!"

Dipper sighed and turned in her hold, hugging his sister back. "I'm sorry," he muttered into her shoulder. "I needed a day away from here."

"Take me with you next time," she mumbled before letting him go to wipe her tearing eyes. "Did you forget it's New Year's Eve? You worried everyone."

"Everyone?" he questioned, giving her a doubtful look and disregarding the holiday.

"Yes," he heard Stan's voice suddenly booming behind him. Dipper visibly jumped and froze in his spot. "Everyone was worried about you, kid," Stan was suddenly standing next to the brunette male, staring down at him. Dipper remained quiet with his eyes on the ground, unsure of how to respond. Grunkle Stan placed a hand on the brunette shoulder and rubbed it comfortingly, giving it a light squeeze. "Can we talk?"

Dipper's eyes wandered up to Mabel's for help and she grabbed his hand, giving it a squeeze before letting it go.

"I'll leave you two be," she mumbled and nodded encouragingly to her twin while stepping away and heading back to the kitchen.

Once she was out of his sight, Dipper gulped then looked over to his Grunkle Stan. The elder removed his hand and was now standing next to him a bit awkwardly.

"Did you wanna talk here?" he grumbled the question. "We can go to your room if you're more comfortable."

"Here is fine," Dipper stated numbly.

Stan hummed and breathed in sharply through this nose, nodding as he looked like he was preparing himself for the worst.

"I-I... Uh… You know…" he sputtered, looking down with a guilty expression and fiddled with his fingers. "Look, kid… I'm sorry… For what I said… I shouldn't have said those things…" Dipper stayed quiet as he listened to his Grunkle spoke, knowing this was just as awkward and hard for Stan to give as it was for the brunette to receive. "I was thrown off," he continued explaining. "I didn't expect you to actually be dating him. I wish you told me beforehand so we could have talked about it in private."

"I'm pretty sure you would have had the same reaction," the brunette noted.

"Maybe," Stan shrugged. "But at least Bill wouldn't have heard me. Maybe you guys would have still been together."

Dipper lowered his head a bit and nodded a bit, chewing on his bottom lip. "It's okay," he mumbled. "I did mess up myself, so it's not all you."

"You guys gonna be okay?" Stan asked, his voice surprisingly laced with some concern.

Before the brunette could respond, there was a knock on the door. Mabel came from the kitchen and answered the door, revealing Pacifica. The girls squealed and hugged each other in their greeting. Stan grunted and tapped Dipper's arm to get his attention.

"We're shooting off fireworks tonight so don't go anywhere," Stan told him before walking away and to the living room.

"I need to show you guys something," Pacifica told Mabel and Dipper before the brunette boy could hide in his room.

The trio went to the kitchen and watched the blond girl pull her backpack off. Mabel put together a few plates of food for themselves while Pacifica pulled out her laptop and worked on pulling up what she wanted to show the twins.

"What did you want to show us?" Mabel asked curiously, leaning her head against her girlfriend's shoulder to view the screen.

"There were a few students that Bill had the first year the school was opened," she began to explain and pulled a video up. The topic of Bill brought the brunette male down a bit, feeling himself yearn to see the blond again. "One got an opportunity to make an album but it didn't sell too well. He moved back to join a group with some old students and they post videos on YouTube. They're making music out of their home they built on the outskirts of town."

"That's cool," Mabel's voice perked up a bit. "Maybe that's something I can do!"

"Babe," Pacifica giggled and rolled her eyes. "I'm going to make you a star no matter what." The female twin giggled and beamed to her girlfriend.

"What about them?" Dipper asked a bit grumpy.

"Their most recent video is first on trending," the blonde girl looked over to the brunette male and stated. "Bill is in the video," she finished, causing Dipper to moved to sit closer to her so he could see the video.

The computer already had the site pulled up and on the trending page, showing five people surrounding a smiling Bill with the title called "Reuniting With Our Old Music Professor!" Pacifica clicked on the video and make it fullscreen to watch the video. The group started the video with a lot of energy and smiles, waving at the camera.

"Welcome back to our channel!" a black-haired man greeted happily.

The group went around, introducing themselves, from left to right. The main guy in the middle was named Mitch.

"Today, we wanted to introduce our teacher that helped us all get out start!" the group members were smiling excitedly and one of the girls began shaking Bill from behind a bit to show their excitement.

"This is William Cipher!" the girl behind him then wrapped her arms around his shoulders.

A pang of jealousy hit Dipper at the sight of the female hugging the blond man in such a way. The group began to ask the professor some basic questions about where he went to school before getting the job at the academy along with funny stories about when he had the students in his class. Towards the end of the video, one of the girls brought out a guitar and Mitch asked Bill if they could perform the song that got him the record deal.

While Bill didn't sing in the video, it was still nice to hear the blond speak and play. Being with the others seemed to make him pretty happy. Although Dipper missed him desperately, it warmed his heart to see the older man enjoying himself with the old students. At the end of the video, Mitch made a note to let the audience know about the vlog where they ran into the professor at a bar.

Hearing the location of their greeting made the brunette male cringe. Knowing Bill's history with drinking left him to worry if the blond started falling back after the break-up. Thoughts concerning him filled Dipper's head and it came up with different scenarios that did nothing but worry him even more. How long had Bill been at that bar before they saw him? Was he drunk? Did he blackout? Obviously, he's alright in the video, but is he actually okay?

Dipper remained quiet when the video ended and he silently watched Pacifica open their channel to see the older videos. Turns out, this group were daily vloggers that throw in one song per video towards the end. She pulled up said vlog that was titled "Getting My Hot Professor Drunk" and Dipper's stomach dropped.

The video started off with the same greeting from the group along with a mission list of things they were going to do. The end of the day was to sing karaoke at a bar they went to school in, Gravity Falls. The brunette reached over and skipped to the part where they entered the bar, uncaring of the rest of the video. It was just seconds into them recording walking into the bar that they started questioning if they recognized someone. They pointed the camera to Bill who was leaning against the bar with a glass of beer in his hand. Mitch walked up to him with the camera somewhat hidden, just in case it wasn't who they were thinking it was.

"Excuse me, sir?" Dipper heard Mitch's voice ask in the video. The blond looked over and smiled a bit.

"Mitch?" Bill's voice came through the speakers and the brunette started to chew on his bottom lip. He sounded tipsy.

"Mr. Cipher?" he heard Mitch's voice ask and watched as the blond began nodding. "Holy shit, guys!" the camera moved to record where his friends were as he called their names to come over. The camera went back to Bill, now adjusted properly as the rest of the group joined him.

They had hugged the professor and started asking what he was doing there; one of the many questions Dipper had been asking himself while watching said video.

"To get out," Bill answered while shrugging. That made the others not believe him too much.

"Did you have a bad Christmas?" one of the girls asked. "I know I did, my family fought all night."

Bill nodded a bit and grimaced a bit. "I guess you could say that."

"Why not chill with us for a while?" Mitch offered. "You were always cool when I was in your class, let's be friends!"

Bill laughed and shook his head a bit. "You wouldn't want to be friends with me," he attempted to wave them off but then two of the group members went behind him and pushed the blond off the bar stool.

"Join us for karaoke!" one of them cheered and everyone burst into a conversation about what song to sing, not giving Bill any chance to argue.

The video cut to the group singing a Kelly Clarkson song and since half the group now was drunk, the vocals were horrendous. The only think Dipper could look at the entire time, though, was at Bill's laughing expression as he attempted to sing along. There were moments after that in the video where the group took shots with the professor and it ended with Bill going home with them and spending the night.

There were a few more videos that had the professor in it before the newest that went trending but the brunette male left the room when Pacifica clicked on them. While no one said anything while the videos were going, Mabel did watch Dipper sympathetically as he left the room.

By the time Dipper made it to his room, tears were falling down his face and his heart was clenching hard. He tried to tell himself he should be happy that Bill wasn't missing as Stan thought. Happy that he isn't alone every day. Happy Bill finally made friends. Happy that he was at least able to see the blond's smile again. But Dipper couldn't. Instead, he felt his heart shake and his stomach knotted up. The craving to see, touch, kiss, cuddle, and even argue with the man grew stronger than before.

Dipper remained in his room until it was close to midnight. At that time, Mabel came into the room to drag him outside. It was a few minutes before the new year when he sat in one of the lawn chairs set up between his dad's and sister's chair. Ford was outside with an older looking camera and was seated next to his mom, lightly talking with her. Stan and Mabel were setting up the fireworks and Pacifica had a live timer on her phone for the countdown. The brunette male took out his own phone and opened up the messages between himself and Bill. There were dozens of messages that weren't answered but that didn't stop Dipper from typing up one more message.

Before he could send it though, Pacifica and Mabel yelled, "10!" This encouraged his parents and grunkles to start counting down as well. Just as they got to one, his parents popped some confetti and Mabel and Stan shot off a big firework.

Dipper watched the firework then looked down to his phone to hit send on the message to Bill.

Dipper

12:00 AM

Happy New Year. I love you.


	23. Chapter 23

Two weeks had gone by since New Years. At this point, Dipper had given up hope on getting a response from the former demon and stuck to the YouTube videos to hear his voice and see his face. Although he was tempted to leave a comment, the brunette had doubts that it would be seen considering the hundreds of other comments. The daily videos ranged from different hikes they all would go on to music sessions in the nice motorhome the group traveled in. Dipper's parents were still around and have even started to talk about putting their son with a therapist to get through the break-up. Even though they know his feelings, they didn't think watching videos with the blond in them was healthy for him.

Mitch was a traveling musician with his friends who were either filmmakers, photographers, or adventurers. Angie was a photographer while her sister, Charlie, was a filmmaker and musician with Mitch. Damien was an adventurer and filmmaker; he travels to show off beautiful sceneries and his main goal for traveling in Oregon was to see their beautiful waterfalls. During the hiking videos, there was always at least a few minutes of the man explaining the history of the waterfall. It was also one of the first videos that confirmed that the professor would be joining the group for their Three-Week Waterfall Hunting Adventure. Lastly, there was Jack. He was also one of Bill's old students but he mainly stuck to instruments and producing music more than singing his own music. They all had their own personal channels but the former demon usually only appeared on the group channel.

The few times when Bill would appear in someone's video on their main channel, it usually had to do with music. The professor showed off his teaching skills by helping his old students come out with new music. Dipper didn't fail to take note on what songs were being written and released; they all were relatively sad even if the instrumental was meant to sound happy.

How they slept comfortably in that motorhome will forever be a mystery to Dipper, but he enjoyed seeing Bill in the videos nonetheless. Apparently, the fans really liked the new addition to the group. After Bill's introduction video, fans began requesting the group to write and perform songs with the professor, wanting to see his own personal talent. By the end of the second week, they had released their first song with the professor as the actual singer. Their "recording studio" was opened in the seating area so it didn't seem too comfortable for anyone to do much of anything.

Dipper stayed up refreshing their channel and their social media pages, waiting for the song to drop. They teased part of the song with something that looked like a music video, so the brunette began to feel himself get happy again. It was a mystery to the brunette how he was able to move past the pain from the videos, but Mabel pointed out that possibly seeing someone that he cared for so much actually, at least, looking happy, it made sense. Even though he still cared for the former demon and saddened to not be by his side, seeing him happy was more important to the brunette.

The video wasn't released until noon and Mabel offered to watch the video with her brother, knowing it could possibly have some hidden messages. The title of the song was "Broken." Dipper's heart was racing hard in his chest as he sat anxiously in front of his laptop while sitting on his bed. His back was against the wall while his knees were hugged tightly to his chest, staring at the thumbnail while waiting for Mabel to enter the room. The thumbnail was a photo of Bill with ruffled hair, overly-sized sunglasses, a blunt in his mouth and smoke coming out of his nose. His expression wasn't readable, especially with the glasses on his face. There were girls on either side of him and they were just slumped against him, one of the females looking passed out.

The video started out with the motorhome parking in front of some random house and the group exiting the vehicle; Bill being dragged out at the very end. The music was sweet and calm for a few moments before the video flashed to everyone inside and the singing began.

"I like that you're broken

Broken like me

Maybe that makes me a fool"

The people inside the house were dancing, drinking, and smoking. The living space was packed but you could clearly see the blond sitting calmly on the sofa while the other group members danced around him.

"I like that you're lonely

Lonely like me

I could be lonely with you"

Bill sang to the camera as Charlie pull him off the could, handing over a lite joint but the camera moved before it caught him taking a hit. The video then focused on a separate couple that was in an argument, the female, someone unrecognizable to Dipper, in tears and storming away.

"I met you late night, at a party

Some trust fund baby's Brooklyn loft"

The female went to the bathroom with a goal to wash her face when she ran into the blond man who was leaning against a wall with a fresh joint between his fingers. The music continued but Bill wasn't singing to the camera this time. They made eye contact before she pushed the bathroom door opened.

"By the bathroom, you said let's talk

But my confidence is wearing off"

The former demon pushed himself further into the room but kept looking back to the bathroom. Mitch and Damien were laughing together with some random people when Bill joined them. With a quick jump cut, the female appeared again and pulled the blond away from the group.

"These aren't my people

These aren't my friends

She grabbed my face and that's when she said"

After being pulled a few feet away, the girl wrapped her arms around Bill's neck and the chorus began, flashing from all the different couples dancing or making out.

"I like that you're broken

You're broken like me

Maybe that makes me a fool"

The video flashed back to Bill again, who was technically singing to her and she was smiling like there was no tomorrow.

"I like that you're lonely

Lonely like me

I can be lonely with you"

The duo began walking to a table full of different sodas and alcohol bottles, the female pouring herself a shot while Bill took a long drag off of the joint. After the girl slammed back her shot, she handed a full shot glass to Bill and the video jumped back to some people dancing. For a moment before coming back and the blond was pulling the female back to the crowd again, singing lightly.

"There's something tragic, but almost pure

Think I could love you, but I'm not sure"

The girl had her arms wrapped around Bill's waist and was leaning against the man, allowing herself to get pulled. The man sat on the couch and almost immediately, the female crawled into his lap.

"There's something wholesome, there's something sweet

Tucked in your eyes that I'd love to meet"

The blond was basically cradling the drunk girl, singing into her ear and glancing over to the camera through the side of his eyes. While he was looking away, she cupped his face and placed a kiss on his cheek.

"These aren't my people

These aren't my friends

She grabbed my face and that's when she said"

Charlie joined the couch on Bill's other side and placed the huge sunglasses on that was shown in the thumbnail. She proceeded to take his joint and took a hit off of it while Bill continued the song, uncaring of what's going on.

"I like that you're broken

Broken like me

Maybe that makes me a fool"

Charlie leaned her head against Bill's shoulder and sang along with him.

"I like that you're lonely

Lonely like me

I could be lonely with you"

There was then a jump cut to Bill and his friends in the motorhome, the group still drinking and laughing while the blond remained calm for the camera. With the other female now gone, the former demon was able to sing directly into the camera while the party around him began moving in slow-motion.

"Life if not a long song that we like

We're all broken pieces floating by

Life is not a long song, we can try

To fix our broken pieces one at a time"

With the eye-contact Bill held, Dipper felt like his ex-lover was singing directly at him. The video then cut back to the main part where the blond had the two girls leaning against him.

I like that you're broken

Broken like me

Maybe that makes me a fool"

The girl was snuggled up to the blond's neck when the man she was arguing with appeared again across the room, obviously noticing the trio on the couch.

"I like that you're lonely

Lonely like me

I can be lonely with you"

The guy walked up to the sofa, all huffy and puffy at what he was witnessing. Just as he was about to grab Bill, Damien and Mitch jumped in and began pushing the guy away. Jack and Angie then appeared in front of the trio and helped them off the sofa. Before they left the house though, the random female clinched onto Bill's arm in desperation to not be alone.

"I like that you're broken

Broken like me

Maybe that makes me a fool"

The former demon wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her along with the group and out of the party and back to the motorhome.

"I like that you're lonely

Lonely like me

I could be lonely with you"

While the rest of the music played, the group filed into the vehicle and drove away. The video ended with showing the girl and Bill falling asleep on the loft bed in the back of the moving home.

Once the video was over, Dipper immediately slumped against Mabel. The twin hugged her brother and rubbed his back, allowing him to silently cry against her chest. The tears weren't heavy but his heart yearned for the blond man.

"I'm sure he misses you," Dipper heard his sister mumble, her voice full of worry.

"I broke him," he mumbled into her sweater, pulling away and wiping his face.

"There's no way he wouldn't," she tried to reassure.

"He left town," he motioned towards the laptop. "He's with people that make him happy. I never could have got him a music video, let alone help him put out a song as they can. He must have abandoned Angel with Andrew. How did he leave without him? I thought he always followed Bill?" Dipper shook his head and buried his face in his hands. "Dammit Mabel, I miss him so much."

"I know, Dip," she sighed and continued to rub his back. "Maybe when school starts up again, you can go apologize to him?"

"I don't know his new schedule," he grumbled.

"Pacifica signed up for his class for this upcoming semester," she reassured.

"How did she get in?" he questioned. "I'm sure his classes filled within minutes."

"Her family gives donations," she sighed. "It's not hard. They even began giving more money so we could get basically free-range to the school's studio."

"Of course," he grumbled and shook his head. "Guess it pays to be rich."

Mabel sighed heavily and stood up, taking and closing the laptop. "You just need to remind Bill you care," she continued the original topic. "I know he cares. I listen to the songs he helps the others write. I feel like I can tell who he's thinking of when writing some of those pieces. Let him have his time to heal but don't give up."

"Mom keeps telling me that too," he sighed. "What if he rejects me?"

"Keep trying," she responded simply.

The day after it was released, a "Behind the Scenes" video was released, showing it was just a simple recording camera, mainly Jack was recording until he appeared for his scene at the end. The girl was a random girl they became friends with from hiking around Silver Falls. Days after the video was released, it surprising got a lot of downloads and appreciation. Fans began requesting to see the blond more, especially with his guitar.

At the end of the week, a video was released titled "Bad Luck Bill" on the group's channel. Dipper, of course, was one of the first people to watch it since all he did now was lounge around the Shack and help out with the gift shop. For this video, Dipper was seated in the kitchen with his mom on one side and Mabel on the other. Their dad had left for a work meeting that was in Portland to talk about relocating for a year. Kayla had started working with the city to purchase some land to repeat Ford's plans. Minus the hidden lab, they began planning on building a tiny-home on some land to have a better place to stay when they come to visit. They also didn't mind allowing Dipper to stay there if things got too overwhelming at the Shack. Of course, for now, they would be staying at the Shack.

The video started with Mitch on the left, Bill in the middle, and Damien on the right. They waved and greeted the camera with smiles like they did in every "sit down" video.

"We wanted to share something we have been keeping to ourselves," Mitch began to explain. "You see, Bill here has major bad luck."

"It's not that bad," Bill mumbled, crossing his arms while shaking his head and smiling.

"You poor child," Damien sighed and gave Bill's knee a light pat. "One of our missions now when we go out is to watch him so he doesn't fall or get trapped."

"Come on," Bill groaned and rolled his eyes. "It's not that bad."

"In case you guys don't know what we're talking about," Mitch interrupted, talking to the camera again. "We have a lot of footage of events with Bill that we usually left out of the vlogs via a request from him but he has now given us permission to show them!"

Damien and Mitch began clapping and cheering while the former demon simply rolled his eyes and sighed.

"This will also be the last video with me," Bill stated blankly. The two men stopped clapping and instead, Damien embraced the blond while the other began making sad faces.

"Yeah," Mitch confirmed, looking back to the camera. "He has to go back to work on Monday so he'll be heading back home today. As our goodbye present to you guys, we are going to share with you guys all the footage we cut out on all of our vlogs. Have fun!"

Bill remained in Damien's arms while Mitch spoke, looking content against the man. Dipper felt his blood boil, feeling heated jealousy raise in his chest and tears perk in his eyes. The trio men waved to the camera again and the video cut to one of the first incidents they had.

It was on the first hike they all went on that included Bill. They were walking down a hill and Damien was holding the camera with everyone walking behind them. He was in the middle of telling them where they were going when Bill suddenly slipped and rolled down the hill, right past everyone. The group watched in horror but Damien was quick to turn the camera to get the end of the tumble when Bill landed hard against a rock. He ended up to be fine but was called a clumsy child for the rest of the video. There were a few clips of him simply falling off of rocks and chairs, tripping, losing balance out of nowhere, and even somewhere something would fall on his head. Unfortunately, that seemed to be the majority of incidents.

Dipper, Kayla, and Mabel all watched the video with a horrific expression on their faces. How Bill seemed to be fine after all of those incidents appalled them. How he didn't lose his mind from even just the little things going wrong. Some of the clips were things as simple as everyone getting a soda randomly and his being the only to blow up.

After the last clip, the video went back to the trio in front of the camera and they were in the same position they were before it flashed to the clips.

"That's all we have for you!" Mitch waved then looked at Bill. "Thank you so much for joining our group for the last few weeks."

"Thank you for having me," Bill responded with a smile on his face, no longer in Damien's arms.

"You are welcomed to join me for hiking sometime," Damien ruffled his blond hair, smirking widely. "I have an extra room in my house if you want to date me," he commented with a wink.

Mitch laughed as Bill smacked Damien's shoulder. "We'll visit you more often at the school," he said while smiling widely.

Bill smiled back at Mitch and looked at the camera. "Thank you for letting me join them," he said awkwardly, shrugging and looking between the two men. "Is there anything else?"

"I'm gonna take him now," Damien said to Mitch then stood up, proceeding to lift the former demon in his arms. Bill squirmed and Mitch was just laughing, moving to give his sign off before the video ended.

Dipper felt himself fuming a bit, hating seeing Bill in someone else's arms.

"Dip?" Kayla's voice was quiet to Dipper's ears. The brunette was glaring hard at the computer screen and he felt his blood boil. "Dipper, please stay calm."

"How can the fucker touch him like that?" Dipper's voice was harsh. His expression then suddenly dropped, feeling despair and loss fill his chest. "Dammit. He's mine. He's always been mine. Why can't he just talk to me?"

Dipper drowned away in his questions and Mabel and his mother remained silent, letting him release his insecurities and fears out. When he was done, the male was shaking against his mom's chest while Mabel hugged him from behind.

"I should have been there," he cried. "I would have protected him, I wouldn't have laughed. I would have helped, I wouldn't have made fun of him. I miss him so much, why does this still hurt?" he questioned but he was pulled closer to his mom's chest.

"Let it out sweetie," his mom whispered, kissing his forehead. "It'll be okay. Pain is okay. You should talk to him."

"Yeah," Mabel chimed in, rubbing his back. "Class starts back in after this weekend. We'll ask Pacifica his schedule and we can figure out a way for you to talk to him."

"He won't talk to me," he shook his head bitterly. "He won't forgive me. He hates me."

"There's only one way to find out," Kayla told him, planting light kisses on his head. "You said you loved him, didn't you?"

"I would do anything for him," Dipper admitted.

"Then give him a chance," Mabel completed her mom's sentence. "I'm sure he'll forgive you with this much time to process everything."

Dipper pulled away from his mom and sister's grips and nodded, wiping his face a bit.

"I'll try to stay positive then," he mumbled with a sigh.

Pacifica came over to the Shack immediately after she was out of school. In her hand was a list of Bill's classes with the times and room numbers. It shocked Dipper how much longer Bill is working this semester compared to his last. Now, instead of getting off at 6 pm every night, he was getting off at 9 pm instead. It wasn't too late in the day so the brunette prepared himself to go over and wait for the blond to get off of work.

Although the blonde girl offered to have her drivers drop him off, Dipper insisted on going alone so he had time to get his thoughts together. Which was easier said than done. Would Bill even want to see him again? What if he was already perfectly ready to move on without him? Is it too soon? He just started work, he could be tired. It truly didn't take much for the brunette male to talk himself out of speaking with the blond. Instead, when Bill finally was seen leaving the school with Andrew on his tail, Dipper just followed from across the street and a bit behind him. Andrew rode his bike past the blond professor and left him to walk in the dark.

Dipper's heart was pounding in his chest as he followed the former demon. There was so much he wanted to do. While it was nice to see videos of the blond, it was much different seeing the beauty in person. The brunette allowed his eyes to travel down what he was able to see from the darkness around them, only street lights shining their way.

Halfway home, Dipper crossed the street and kept a good distance away to not be seen. His heart was in his ears when a pair of guys approached Bill and stopped him from walking. Unfortunately, the brunette was too far to hear their conversation. While they didn't seem too intimidating, anything was possible with his luck. Dipper stopped in his tracks and moved closer to the wall in an attempt to not be seen. Then, Bill turned around. One of the guys was pointing towards Dipper and telling him something.

Feeling like he was caught red-handed, the brunette froze in his spot. He watched as the professor waved the people off and began walking towards where Dipper was. Seeing Bill getting closer caused the brunette's stomach to twist in a knot and a lump formed in his throat from his anxiety. When the blond was just a few feet away, he stopped and stared at the brunette with a blank expression.

"What do you want?" he asked coldly.

Dipper's eyes teared up and he pulled away from the wall, stepping a bit closer to the blond. Just as he moved though Bill took a step back.

"I'm not going to hurt you," Dipper spoke softly, his voice cracking from the lump in his throat. "Please, listen to me."

Bill stayed silent and slowly crossed his arms, looking down towards the ground.

"I never meant to hurt you," the brunette started. "I never had any plans to hurt you, I swear. I'm so sorry for not telling you the full truth about that device. I don't have an excuse, I just believed that you were human because I believe everything you tell me. I swear I don't care for anyone like I care about you. I love you, Bill. If you ended up going back to being a demon somehow, I would still love you."

The blond stayed silent, unsure of what to say. The brunette took this chance to approach the former demon and embrace him in the hug he had been craving since Christmas. Bill didn't hug back, but he didn't pull away. Instead, he leaned into the hug and allowed himself to be held. After a few minutes, the brunette pulled away and wiped the tears off his face that had fallen.

"If you still need time, I'll give it to you," he mumbled and looked up to the blond, sniffling. "I'll always be here." Dipper cupped Bill's cheeks but the professor pulled away from his touch quickly.

"I do," he whispered softly and glanced up at the brunette before looking away again. Something caught Dipper's eye though and he moved to look into Bill's eyes again.

"I-is the dot growing again?" he asked suddenly and the blond closed his eyes and turned away. The dot that was in his eye actually looked visibly larger now, he didn't even have to look too closely.

"I'll see you around," Bill stated before walking away.

Dipper chewed on his bottom lip and watched his receding back. He waited for a few minutes in silence before starting to follow the former demon again. No one stopped Bill again and he actually turned and gave Dipper a small wave before entering his apartment.


	24. Chapter 24

For the next few weeks, Dipper made his way over to the school just to watch to make sure Bill got home safely. There were a few times when he either falls on the ground or street or nearly got hit by either a bike or a car; but overall, he was alright. Going into the second week though, his mom began stopping him from leaving. Although he was perfectly fine with keeping his distance from the blond, they were concerned that he wasn't giving himself a chance to heal. After some convincing with Mabel's help, they were able to get Dipper to understand why he needed to refocus his attention.

The brunette was far from giving up on fixing his relationship with the professor but he agreed that he should have at least show he's still concentrated on his career. Bill filled his thoughts when he attempted to brainstorm some story ideas on what to write about.

Currently, he was sitting on his window seat with his laptop opened and sitting in front of himself. No thoughts were coming to his mind. Instead, frustration flooded his chest and he buried his face into his knees, hugging his legs close to his chest. The room was silent, reminding him that he was alone. No one was going to help him write this novel, this was his plan. So many issues came with this plan and now he can't even think of something to write? What's with that? He paid to take that class, he wasn't expecting to be focusing so much on the professor that the class itself. ' _How pathetic_ ,' he thought, scoffing at himself and sighing heavily.

The door creaked when it was slowly opened, Mabel's head poking into the room from the other side.

"Dip?" she called silently. "You okay?" Dipper hummed but didn't bother raising his head. "Why don't we get you some vitamin-D?" she asked and slid inside, closing his laptop and moving it to sit down.

"I don't want to go anywhere," he mumbled.

"Come on," she shook his leg. "We've been here for a few months and we haven't gone adventuring yet."

"You want to go on an adventure?" Dipper asked, raising his head a bit.

"Yeah," she ruffled his hair. "Like old times. Let's look for something we haven't seen yet."

The male twin gave his sister a small smile and took a deep breath in. "Okay," he nodded. "Let's go."

The twins were ready quickly, packing some food and some weapons given to them from Ford, and already deep in the forest. Dipper wore his old Pinetree hat and had one of the old journals in his hands, scanning through the old familiar pages.

"I can't believe how long it's been," the brunette gasped out, flipping through the pages.

"You should make a new one," Mabel commented, smiling to her brother. "You look like a kid again."

"Do not," the brunette male pouted and playfully pushed his sister's shoulder.

"Do too," she teased and nudged him back while giggling. "Where to, bro-bro?"

"Well," Dipper closed the book and looked up. "We can just get lost. Maybe find a meadow?"

"Sounds like a plan!" Mabel giggled and skipped forward, leaving her brother behind.

Dipper pouted again and placed the book inside his backpack before jogging after his sister.

The twins walked for an hour before they ran into a long stream. There was a large log that was placed as a bridge and once they were across, Dipper saw a large cave opening that was between a few trees. They walked to towards the opening and walked in hesitantly. Mabel turned on a flashlight and gasped as the cave walls sparkled. Looking closely, the crystals on the walls shifted colors like a rainbow. The blues and pinks sparkle and moving the flashlight allowed yellow and green hues to flash through the cave.

"This is beautiful," the female twin commented, walking past Dipper, who was frozen in his spot.

"This looks man-made," he commented, following his sister when his vision began darkening from the lack of light.

"Man-made or not, it's still beautiful," Mabel said.

They continued down the cave, noting it was downhill until they ran into a large opening. The ground had glowing purple and yellow flowers. The bizarre colors shifted when light from the flashlight touched them, shifting to red and black but returning to their glowing colors. The flowers were lined up around the wall and left a walking path for someone to get closer. There was an open area in the middle that the flowers surrounded, looking opening.

"This is crazy," Dipper whispered in amazement, kneeling down to touch one of the flower's petals.

"Don't pick one," Mabel scolded, walking closer.

"I wasn't going to," the brunette male held his hands up in defense. He stood back up and walked to his sister, who sat down in the middle of the opening that the flowers were surrounding.

"This is a perfect place for a beautiful picnic," Mabel concluded, setting up two more flashlights so they had good lighting. The other two flashlights were boxed, allowing them to balance on the ground with the light pointing up to the ceiling of the cave.

Dipper rolled his eyes and sat down, taking his backpack off to pull out an empty journal he brought along with a pen. Mabel pulled out their boxed lunches from her backpack and set the containers up for them to eat. The male twin began writing about the cave and drew on two pages to show what the cave looked like.

"You can't escape me now," the girl spoke suddenly, calmly picking up some of the fruit and beginning to eat.

Confused, Dipper looked up from the journal. "What?" he asked.

"I wanted to talk to you," she told him.

"We could have talked at the Shack," he mumbled, looking back to the journal to continue his drawing.

"You wouldn't feel so comfortable, now, would you?" she rose one eyebrow at her brother, mouth full with fruit.

"What do you want to talk to me about?" Dipper asked, wanting things to be straight-forward.

"How are you feeling?" she asked genuinely, giving her brother a caring smile after swallowing her food.

"I'm fine," he replied numbly, concentrating on his drawing.

"Don't bullshit me," Mabel's smile dropped and she stared at Dipper.

"What are you talking about?" the brunette narrowed his eyes and stopped focusing on the journal, looking up to his sister.

"You've been acting distant," she pointed out. "You don't talk to me anymore. And when you do talk, it's mainly just about how much you messed up. I know you have anxiety but you've never been this depressed before. You barely eat, Dip. Have you even started on your story? That's why you came here, remember? This is not you. What's going on in Dipper Land? What's going on? Tell me what you're thinking. I want to help."

Dipper began chewing on his bottom lip and slumped his shoulders, eyes relaxing into a saddened expression. "I'm fine," he mumbled.

"Please," she pressed. "I want my brother back."

Dipper closed his eyes and sighed heavily. "I messed up. I don't deserve to be happy," he confessed quietly.

"Just because you messed up, doesn't mean you don't deserve happiness," she scooted closer to sit next to his side to give him a hug.

"I hurt him," he pressed. "Why would I deserve happiness if I hurt him?"

"Because he loves you too," she replied. "Everyone makes mistakes. He forgave you, he just needs time. Show him you are worth trusting."

"That's why I've been watching him when he walks home," he looked up her with tears in his eyes. "And now you guys don't want me to." Just as Mabel was about to argue, Dipper rose his hands in defeat. "I get why, I know I can't heal right by seeing him every night. I get it. I just miss him. Not seeing him feels like hell. I can't believe I'm even saying this but I would rather him haunt my dreams again then not being able to see him at all anymore."

Mabel gave her brother a tight hug and stroked his back. "I understand," she mumbled. "But if you can't allow yourself happiness without him, you won't be able to give him the proper happiness. Compliments and kisses are flattering but if it comes off as fake, he'll feel it. You can't be a robot, you need to be yourself."

Dipper curled up in her hold and began crying softly. "Who am I?" he questioned.

"You are my beautiful brother who is in love with a beautiful man that used to be evil," she stated. "You guys can make it, but you have to forgive yourself. You can't change the past. All we can do to our past mistakes is accept we made them, apologize, and become better people. You will do better, let can learn from this and let it go."

The twins stayed in that position for a while until Dipper's tears dried. Once they parted, the male twin wiped his face once more and looked around the cave.

"I want to bring Bill here," he mumbled and smiled a bit. "He'll love it."

Mabel smiled sweetly and rubbed his shoulder. "That's my brother," she giggled. "You can ask him on a date and if he agrees, you have a chance to rebuild."

Dipper nodded and gave his sister another hug. "Thank you," he mumbled softly.

They ate the food that was packed in peace while Dipper began thinking of dates he wanted to take Bill on. Once they were done, Mabel pulled out her phone while Dipper continued his drawing. The male wrote a passage on the flowers and crystals, walking around as he wrote to get different perspectives on the objects. The female twin stayed in her spot and had her phone notes opened, writing down some phrases.

"Hey Dip," she called and looked over to him. "I wrote something, wanna hear it?"

Dipper walked back to his sister and nodded. "Getting into songwriting more?" he smiled back.

"I have a studio I can go to now," she pointed out, giggling. "So hell yeah."

"Are you going to take another class?" he asked, sitting down next to her.

"I thought about taking the duet class," she nodded. "Maybe in the fall, I got a lot of orders to fill. Who knew getting involved with a Northwest would bring me so much business?" Mabel sighed and shook her head. "I was hoping she would just be big here, not everywhere else. Our Christmas photo together got a lot of publicity."

"Really?" Dipper scrunched his brows together. "I haven't noticed anything around the Shack."

"That's because her family threatened to sue if they went here," she giggled. "They don't want the Shack to be a look on their name."

"Too bad for them," Dipper scoffed. "The Mystery Shack is a landmark at this point."

"Yeah, fake artifacts and all," she laughed while shaking her head. "But she mentioned putting an album together and having her advertise it."

"So, your song," Dipper nodded towards her phone, remembering why she called him.

Mabel perked up and cleared her throat before singing a bit;

" _I'll tell you a story_

 _before it tells itself_

 _I'll tell you all my reasons_

 _You'll say that I need help_

 _We all got expectations_

 _And sometimes they go wrong_

 _But no one listens to me so I put it in this song_

 _They tell me think with my head_

 _Not that thing in my chest_

 _They got their hands at my neck this time_

 _But you're the one that I want_

 _If that's really so wrong_

 _Then they don't know what this feeling is like"_

Dipper had a humble smile on his face the entire time she sang, his mind on the blond the entire time. How she was able to pull the words out of his head and into words, he'll never fully understand. When she finished, he gave her a clap and cheered.

"How long have you been working on that?" he asked softly.

"Like a week," she shrugged. "Listening to you helped. You have so many strong feelings for him, I know Stan will never understand."

"It's amazing," Dipper began chewing on his bottom lip and looked down. "Can I help write this song?"

"Do you want it to just be a duet?" she giggled. "I had you in mind anyway."

"That would be awesome," Dipper beamed.

The twins began working on the song for the next few days. With Pacifica, they were able to get a good beat down with the guitar, although they were planning something more dubstep for an official recording. Although they would have to wait until summer to use the recording studio, Mabel and Pacifica already had a few songs lined up ready to produce. Thankfully, with Dipper's offer to be on the track, they were able to get him to also help with a couple other songs that would sound nicer as a duet instead of a solo.

The trio was in the twin's room while they were putting together a few different songs. It had been close to a month after school started, only a few days were left in February. Dipper had been able to find himself in the music, putting off the writing until he knew he was ready. Their parents were still around but were back to work. With the tiny house being built, Kayla found herself working on the building structure along with helping the builders while Jordan took on extra hours to dismiss his wife lack of active work. She had been working with her company to get her work moved to Oregon but it was taking longer than she had wanted. Working on the tiny home ended up being her way of coping with not working. Thankfully, her company adored her work so they didn't mind waiting to see if she would be able to return. Dipper attempted to tell his parents to return home, explaining that Mabel was helping just fine and that he'll rebuild his relationship with Bill with time. While they did believe him, after seeing how things ended, they were more worried about Stan's actions than their son's.

Stan was still on edge around Dipper. Although the brunette forgave his Grunkle for his outburst, he was still timid on upsetting him again. Every time they ran into each other either in the gift shop or around the Shack, the elder would freeze up and bow his head, waiting for Dipper to leave.

One night when Stan was up late watching TV, Dipper came in and sat on the couch. He had only been there for a few minutes before the older man started to get up to leave.

"Where are you going?" he asked, looking over to his Grunkle trying to get up.

"Bed," he grumbled and finally stood.

"Why are you avoiding me?" Dipper asked bluntly.

"Aren't you still mad?" he grumbled.

"You apologized," the younger shrugged and looked back to the TV. "I would appreciate it if you apologized to Bill as well though."

"I will," Stan sighed and looked over to his nephew. "You promise you're not mad?"

"I promise," Dipper smiled sweetly.

"Ducktective?" the elder sat back down and switched the channel to where the kids' show was playing. "It's still on."

"Damn, what season is it now?" the brunette chuckled, looking back to the TV.

"Season 15 I think," he shrugged and leaned back to watch the show.

During the first week of March, Dipper felt ready to start his story. The brunette sat himself down on the window seat and began to type out an outline. This story would be able a human getting trapped in a dark, magical forest and ended up getting saved by a demon that falls in love with her. Of course, he used Bill for inspiration. It felt good for the brunette to write out the story with his love for the blond flowing through his body.

Dipper didn't feel ready to ask the blond out on a date just yet, so instead, he was leaving small gifts on the path that Bill took when he walked home. Just small reminders that Dipper still cared. The gifts ranged from notes to small stuffed animals to cat treats and even more personal gifts like triangle-shaped necklace and bracelet charms.

Just as Dipper finished his first chapter, his phone started ringing. Perking up a bit, the brunette checked and answered it when he read Pacifica's name.

"Hello?" he answered.

"Get your shit and go outside," Pacifica's voice was cold and demanding. "We're going to the hospital."

"What?" Dipper asked immediately, standing up. "Why are we going to the hospital? Where's Mabel?"

"She's with me," she growled into the phone. "I'll explain on the way, we'll be there in a minute."

With that, Pacifica hung up. Dipper rushed to get ready and ran outside when her limo arrived. His heart was pounding in his chest. Why are they going to the hospital? What's wrong?

Once he was inside and buckled up, he looked over to Pacifica with a worried expression.

"What's going on?" he asked, attempting to stay calm.

"Bill's been off of work all week," she explained calmly. "This isn't normal so I started asking around. I guess around his night time classes, he started to faint in the middle of them."

"What?!" Dipper asked, his heart now pounding hard in his throat.

"Let me finish," she sighed. "You can freak out when I'm done."

"There's more?!" the brunette felt tears perking in his eyes. "How long has this been happening? How long did you know?"

"I knew since today, Pines!" Pacifica snapped. "Shut the hell up and let me finish." Dipper covered his face and sighed into them, staying silent. "I just found out. If I knew, I would have said something sooner. The guy said he had been fainting like this for a while but on Monday, he fainted during his lunch and was taken to the hospital. No one knows if he had a seizure or heart attack or if he was just too stressed. Fainting can be caused by a lot of reasons, it's just been too long now and I think you should check up on him. I tried going down but only family can see him and he has none. Not even a power of attorney. They freaked out when I asked for him and when I said I was just a student, they got stressed. I told them I know his boyfriend and they asked for me to bring you in. You can say you're his boyfriend, they'll let you in."

Dipper stayed silent but nodded, trying to process everything he had been told. Bill had been suffering more than he should have. Was this really just stress? Oh god, Dipper hoped it was just that simple. Unfortunately, his gut told him it there was more.

"Dipper," Mabel unbuckled her seat belt and sat next to her brother, wrapping her arms around him. "It'll be okay, you need to be strong. Be strong for Bill, he might need it."

The brunette nodded but didn't voice a response, instead his mind thought of everything that could possibly be wrong. By the time they got to the hospital, the male was out in seconds and inside the building. He approached the registration employee and bit his bottom lip.

"I-is William Cipher here?" he asked hesitantly.

Upon hearing the name, the female employee looked up and stared at him. "What is your relationship with him?" she asked sternly.

"I'm his boyfriend," he answered, knowing that's what Pacifica told him to say.

The employee turned in her chair immediately and made eye contact with another employee who was listening. "Take him," she told the other employee.

The other employee was a male nurse that was pushing a small computer along with himself. "I need you to fill out some paperwork," he started typing on his computer quickly. "I can't take you to see Mr. Cipher right now, he's in critical condition. He is honestly lucky to still be breathing, even if it's with the machine,"

"B-Bill's on l-life support?" Dipper asked, panic running through his system. "What the fuck is going on? What is wrong?"

"Please come with me," the nurse asked, ignoring the brunette's question and instead walked towards the elevator.

Pacifica and Mabel caught up with Dipper already and listened to what the nurse said, both just as lost at the male twin. The trio followed the nurse to a separate floor and into an office where a stack of paper was sitting on top of the printer.

"I'm going to call the doctor but I need you to sign some legal forms to allow the doctor to do the surgery," the nurse explained vaguely.

"Can I get details, please?" Dipper pressed, sounding desperate. "What's going on?"

The nurse picked up a phone and punched numbers in to call the doctor, ignoring Dipper's questions. "Doctor Sighn?" he spoke into the phone. "Mr. Cipher's significant other is here," he paused for a moment. ?No, but I can have him sign papers that will give him the legal authority to make decisions," another pause. "Yes, we'll be right here. I'll have him sign while waiting for your arrival," with that, the nurse hung up.

Dipper took a seat once the nurse sat down and began scanning through the papers. He was silent as he separated each form packets, quickly going through them and highlighting certain things once they were separated. Once the first stack was done, he placed it in front of Dipper.

"These allow you to make decisions on Mr. Cipher's behalf when he's in a state where he cannot answer for himself," he quickly explained, pointing out each spot he needed Dipper's signature.

"Can I please know why I'm signing anything first?" Dipper asked. "I need to know what's going on."

"Only the doctor can talk to you but you need to have a connection with the patient to do anything," the nurse explained quickly. "If you are his significant other, then we can assume that he would approve you to be his power of attorney. He needs one for the state he is in and his regular emergency contact is not answering. As of right now, he is basically hours away from dying and we need permission to send him into surgery. Due to the amount, we are required to get permission before going into the surgery. In order for you to give us permission since you aren't blood-related, you need to be his power of attorney. This isn't hard and in his state, a significant other is allowed to step up but they still have to fill out the paperwork. This is to save his life."

Dipper began shaking and tears were perked in his eyes by the time the nurse finished explaining everything. Although he still didn't tell him what exactly was wrong, he knew that Bill needed to live. He began signing the papers, his mind going numb so he wasn't fully reading them. By the time the paperwork was completed, someone walked into the room they were in.

"Hello, I am Bill's doctor, Doctor Sighn," he reached his hand towards Dipper, who took it shakily with tears on his face.

"What's wrong with Bill?" his voice cracked as he asked. "Why does he need emergency surgery? Please, no one is giving me answers."

"I figured he would have told you," the doctor signed and went through a folder that was on the desk the nurse was sitting at. "Considering you said you were his boyfriend, I'm shocked you don't know."

Dipper looked down and felt his heart ache. "H-he kept his h-health a secret," he mumbled. "I knew something was wrong, but he refused to tell me."

"I'm sorry, sir," the doctor offered a paper to Dipper with a lot of writing on it. The brunette's vision was blurred by his tears, so he wasn't able to read the paper very well. "In basic terms, Bill has a cancerous tumor growing behind his left eye. As of right now, it's the size of a tennis ball and is pushing on his brain. It's possible that cancer has spread but as of right now, if he wants to live a normal life, we need to remove his left eye. It's too damaged to be saved. We will put him on a waiting list to receive a new eye but that can take up to 6 months to several years."

As the doctor continued speaking, Dipper's vision blurred more and his heart sank deeply into his stomach. Bill has cancer? No... That can't be right... It can't... The brunette's mind was spinning and he felt himself drifting, feeling his entire body tingle and numb. He bowed his head and began to rock back and forth, panting harshly and very slowly.

"No..." he whispered in a small voice, feeling panic run through his body and black spots began appearing in his vision. "H-he can't..."

Dipper heard the doctor sigh and clear his throat. "I already had the nurses prepare him for surgery," the doctor started speaking again, barely audible to the male twin. "This could take anywhere from an hour to four hours. You are welcomed to wait in the waiting room for him."

With that, the doctor left the room. Mabel hugged her brother and he looked over to her, seeing the tears falling from her eyes as well. They leaned against each other while Pacifica took out a checkbook.

"Pacifica, don't," Dipper attempted to speak but it came out as a sob.

"Shut up," she stated and filled out the check before handing it over. "I can have the school reimburse me."

Mabel thanked her silently and stood up, picking her brother up. "It'll be okay," she whispered to him while the three of them walked to the waiting area.

Dipper didn't fight anything anymore, he allowed himself to be dragged and held, knowing that it was the only thing he can do. All he could think of what the doctor said. Bill said he wasn't sick. How did he get around something like this? Why didn't he say anything? Was he just planning on just dying and leaving Dipper forever?

The thought of losing Bill to death tore Dipper apart. He was willing to do anything to keep him alive.

 _Anything_.


	25. Chapter 25

Hours after the surgery ended, Dipper could be found in Bill's hospital room. The surgery was successful, but the medication took it's time to wear off. Mabel and Pacifica left a while after he had gotten out of surgery, seeing that he probably wouldn't wake up for a while. The brunette male though argued with the nurses in order to stay the night. Dipper refused to leave the room and after explaining that he didn't even know his lover was sick like this, they ended up allowing him to stay.

The brunette watched Bill sleep for hours, sleeping in the chair for an hour while at it. When he woke up, it was past midnight. Memories from the day's events came flooding back and he stretched a bit before rising to his feet. After Bill was brought back to the room, the doctor let them know that he would be staying for a few more days, up to a week for more testing and recovery. While they have hopes that his brain wasn't affected and that he would still be mentally there, they were still required to check due to the seizure.

Dipper shuffled over to the bed and sat down next to Bill's legs, facing the sleeping figure. A nurse came in a few hours ago and removed the breathing mask from the former demon's face. In return, they placed a tube that wrapped around the blond man's ears and nose, pushing oxygen into his nostrils.

"Please wake up," the brunette whispered weakly, feeling tears filling his tired eyes.

After a few moments of silence, Dipper leaned over the blond's front and gently rested against him. Soft, silent sobs escaped his throat as he held Bill's sleeping body. Seconds after his tears began falling, the brunette felt the figure beneath him start shifting. Gasping softly, Dipper pulled away and stared at the former demon shifting a bit, his remaining eye fluttering opened.

"Bill?" the brunette asked softly, feeling his heart race into his neck. "Are you awake?"

His hands cupped the blond man's cheeks, staying mindful of the gauze over the left side of the blond's face. A single honey eye looked up and stared right back at Dipper's brown eyes. The brunette stroked Bill's cheeks with his thumbs and cried softly.

"I-I thought I lost you," he whispered in a hurt tone then pressed their foreheads together. "How are you feeling?"

Dipper watched as Bill's eye teared up and closed, leaning forward to lean back against the brunette.

"Can you speak?" he asked gently, already making the decision to stay at Bill's side no matter what.

"Why?" Bill's voice croaked weakly, opening his eye to stare at the brunette. "You're here?"

"I'm here because I couldn't leave you to die," Dipper responded with a passion tone.

"You're better off-" Bill started to argue but the brunette's hand gripped their hold on the former's demon's cheeks.

"Don't start that," the brunette snapped. "I'm sorry about what happened but I'm not just going to leave you to die. I thought we were going to get back together."

"I thought you were going to forget about me," he mumbled back, voice still weak. The former demon cleared his throat and attempted to move his head but was stopped when Dipper's hands refused to move.

"How many times do I have to tell you?" the younger asked, feeling hurt. "I'm sorry. I should have told you but-"

"It's not that," Bill interrupted the brunette and moved his arms up, pushing Dipper's hands away from his face. "I never should have come here. I never should have messed around with your dimension and I should have just accepted my death. Everything that I'm going through is deserved, don't you get it? All I did was hurt your life more by being in it again. I should have stayed away from this town. I don't deserve you or this human love that you guys give each other. I'm not supposed to get love, especially not from you. Every human has a soulmate; I'm not human, I can't be your soulmate. You should have let me die. Why didn't you just let me?"

"Because I love you, Bill," Dipper pressed and felt his tears fall down his cheeks. "Because I want you in my life. Even back then, you became a memory that I was going to treasure forever. I don't care if it was scary, it helped mold me to who I am now. I learned that magic exists and that there are other dimensions that are out there. Meeting you then helped me. I'm an adult now so meeting you again?" the brunette shook his head and allowed his eyes to check the blond out from his head to his torso. "I couldn't have asked for a better life. I don't care if my Grunkles don't like you, I do and so does Mabel and my parents. They will learn to like you. I'm not leaving your side again." Bill closed his eye and let out a sad sigh, fighting back tears that began flowing from the remaining eye. "Maybe you're not supposed to be the one I end up with but you're the one I choose. I don't believe in soulmates, I believe we can work."

With that statement, the brunette leaned forward and pressed their lips together in a much-needed kiss. The blond melted into the kiss immediately and the brunette moved to straddle the former demon on the hospital bed. Bill's arms wrapped themselves around Dipper's waist as their tongues fought for dominance. A rapid beeping filled the room from the monitor that was hooked up to watch Bill's heart and breathing. After kissing for a few minutes, an alarm started to go off.

Startled, Dipper pulled away and shuffled off the bed, leaving the blond whining against the bed. Just as he got on his feet, a few nurses ran into the room, one with a clipboard in his hands. A female nurse went to Bill's side as the blond man's heartbeat began to slow.

"I'm glad to see you awake!" the male nurse smiled brightly to the former demon and began going through the charts. "How are you feeling? Can you move?"

"I'm fine," Bill mumbled in response and looked back to Dipper, moving one of his hands over towards him. The brunette grabbed his hand and squeezed it, rubbing the back of it with his thumb.

"I'm going to take your temperature and blood pressure, okay?" the nurse asked in a sweet tone.

"Your surgery was like six or seven hours ago," the male nurse began filling in the blond on the day's events while the female nurse began doing her job. Dipper had to let Bill's hand go until the female was done, sliding them back together as soon as he got the opportunity to.

"What was that alarm?" Dipper asked, feeling a blush rushing to his cheeks.

"It was set up after the surgery. So, once Bill is awake for longer than five minutes, it's meant to let us know," the male responded while writing down a few things before checking the medicine that was hooked to the blond man's arm. "Do you have a headache?" he asked the former demon.

"I'm fine," he responded and leaned back.

"Alright, please let us know if you get one," he warned, holding the clipboard against his chest. "We'll be back here first thing in the morning to run some exams your doctor order, alright?"

"Alright," he nodded then squeezed Dipper's hand. "How long am I going to be here?"

"That's up to however long your doctor wants you here for," he explained. "Is there anything we can get you? Any water?"

"Water would be fine," he mumbled awkwardly and looked away.

"Alright," he smiled sweetly. "We'll get that for you then we'll see you first thing in the morning. Have a good night, Bill."

With that, both of the nurses left the room and the brunette crawled back onto the hospital bed. He lied down on the blond's right side and curled up against Bill's side. The former demon didn't move too much, not wanting to mess with the wires that were attached to his left arm. They leaned against each other and their hands tangled together instantly. Sighing contently, Bill closed his eye and relaxed against Dipper's hold.

"I missed you," the blond whispered quietly. The brunette leaned closer and began leaving small kisses over his cheek and neck, causing the former demon to smile a bit.

"I missed you too," Dipper whispered back and moved one of his legs over Bill's legs. "I'm never leaving your side again."

"Good," a silent tear escaped Bill's eye when he opened it, looking at the brunette. "I hated living without you with me."

The younger male pushed himself up a bit and pressed his lips against his lover's, almost sealing his promise. The kiss was broken after a few minutes by Bill, who was growing mindful of the monitor that was giving away his nerves. They were panting softly against each other and Dipper settled back down next to Bill, kissing his shoulder a few times.

"Unless you throw me out again, I'm not leaving anymore," he mumbled against his lover's shoulder.

"Don't lie to me or withhold information and I won't," the former demon muttered back before moving and snuggling closer to the brunette. Dipper smiled and kissed Bill's lips softly a few times.

"I promise," he whispered softly.

Bill ended up staying at the hospital for five days. The school was informed about his condition and Mabel even stopped by the apartment to check on Angel. Fortunately, Andrew was still around and informed the female twin his instructions were to watch over the house and the cat given to him from Bill. After explaining to him the former demon's conditioned, he only seemed a bit annoyed. He commented something about his freedom, but Mabel was unable to hear what he said clearly.

On the third day in the hospital, a few students came to visit the blond. It was a pleasant surprise to the professor and Dipper made sure to give the students their privacy. It was one of the happiest days that the brunette saw Bill go through while there so far. It was giving him hope that the blond man's happiness will return. Towards the end of the visit, everyone was welcomed back into the room and the main person that coordinated the visit brought a guitar with them.

They had a small music session with Bill, them wanting to show off what they have been working on. Turned out, when the classes found out the issue, they put together songs for him. Since one song was too small for everyone's taste, they were in the midst of putting together money for an extra school album. The album would be funded by donations to the music department. There were already plans for students to go around and perform on streets in the name of the school, just to pull more money in. Of course, with Pacifica now in the music wing as well, it wasn't too hard to find the donations but the other students were determined to make their own money.

That night, he made a comment to the brunette that he wanted to cuddle back at the apartment again - looking forward to it, even. The information flattered Bill but it was easy to tell how exhausted he was after the students left. It took a lot of convincing to get the blond to relax and sleep. It shocked the brunette how worried the blond seemed to be but had to remind himself about the amount that Bill is having to go through.

On the final day of the hospital, Bill was up and ready to leave within an hour of waking up. The test results were scheduled to come back in a few weeks but with how good Bill's condition was, they didn't have a reason to hold the blond anymore and he was finally free to leave. He didn't have any interest in waiting for anything and had a cheap eyepatch for his eye. First stop? The mall to get a nice patch to not look too obvious. Next and lastly, was home. Where the kitty and weed live.

Against Dipper's request, they took a hike to the mall.

"So," Dipper walked on Bill's right side, closer to the street. "Tell me about what you did after Christmas."

"Really?" Bill rose an eyebrow and chuckled a bit. "Straight into it, huh?"

"Why beat around the bush when you know what I wanna know?" the brunette shrugged.

"Well then, Mr. Nosy," the blond laughed and rolled his eye. "I left town."

"Why?" he asked quickly, sounding a bit sad.

"Because I didn't want to use Angel to get over you," Bill admitted quietly. Dipper began chewing on his bottom lip and looked down with a guilty pang in his chest. "She deserves more love than that. I don't know if that was your intention-"

"It never was," Dipper cut him off then shot the blond a sad expression. "I never wanted to leave you."

"Still," he sighed softly. "I told Andrew I was going to talk to and stay with you for a bit and told him to take care of Angel and my plants until I returned. I was only planning on being gone for a few days. I went to the bar in town for the first time and ran into a few old students."

"Oh? Who were they?" the brunette asked, pretending like he didn't know who the blond was talking about.

"Just a few students and their friends," the blond said shortly.

"What did you guys do?" Dipper asked curiously.

"They lived in their car," he began explaining. "Traveling through Oregon because one of them wanted to make videos about all the waterfalls in the state. Everyone else just wanted to come along for the adventure and content. We mainly just hiked and wrote music."

"New music?" the brunette smiled a bit. "Would I be able to hear any?"

"You'd want to?" Bill questioned, smiling back sweetly.

"I've love to," Dipper smiled and leaned over, kissing the blond man's cheek a bit. "I should be honest though, I know one song."

"Do you now?" the former demon rose an eyebrow.

"Yes," the younger male nodded. "Pacifica found something online that I'm sure is what you're talking about."

"Did you watch?" Bill questioned.

"Would anything change if I did?" he asked.

"Maybe it would have changed the direction of this conversation," the blond pointed out.

"Sorry," Dipper mumbled and grabbed Bill's hand, giving it a squeeze. "Let's start this over then. Pacifica found you in some videos online and show them to me. Of course, I watched, I hated not seeing you. How was it? Did you have fun?"

Bill sighed softly and squeezed the brunette's hand back. "I missed you too," he mumbled. "But yes, I did have fun. They were a breath of fresh air I didn't know I needed."

"You guys did good music together," Dipper commented, smiling to the blond. "I love your voice. Every time you sang, I would have the song on repeat. I needed to hear from you." From the lack of response, the brunette looked over and saw Bill staring at the ground as they walked. "Ignore me, okay? I'm glad you had an amazing time with them. From hearing the songs you guys wrote together, I really hope you were able to heal. I'm still sorry about how things ended up. If I was just honest from the beginning, we never would have had that issue."

"I wish I could have had a way to hear or see you," he mumbled. "We don't even have pictures together."

Upon hearing what Bill confessed, Dipper took his phone out and let his hand go in order to place it around the blond man's waist instead. Shocked, the former demon gasped and watched as the brunette opened the front-facing camera and held it in front of the two. Although they had just left the hospital, the lighting and quality of the camera were both working together to make the two men appear perfectly clear.

"Say cheese," the brunette smiled brightly and Bill let out a full-hearted laugh, looking from the phone to the shorter male. Before he could turn away, Dipper took the photo and caught the blond mid-laugh.

"Seriously?" he questioned, blushing over the photo that was taken.

"Yes, seriously," the brunette chuckled and kissed Bill's cheek again. "Now, smile."

Bill and Dipper looked up to the camera phone and smiled brightly together, allowing the brunette to get a good photo.

"Send that to me," the blond requested when Dipper checked the phone out.

"Done and done," he sent the photo to his lover and pocketed his phone afterward.

They arrived at the mall after a while or walking and warm chit-chat. It took longer than they had first expected to find an eye patch. Turned out, they were only at suit stores. After searching through what felt like every store, they finally found two. Once was a black, regular eyepatch while the second was shaped like an upside down triangle with a few extra straps instead of the normal two straps on the first eyepatch.

It may be obvious which Bill wanted.

Finally, on their way home, they stopped to pick up some food along the way. Although Bill was excited to wear the new garment, he knew he wasn't allowed to wear a regular patch yet. Since he was placed on a list to get a new placement eye, they weren't allowed to stitch up his eyelid so instead, it was patched up tightly and the eyepatch that was given to him wasn't allowed to be removed until he got his test results.

Once back at the apartment, they sat Andrew sitting on the couch with Angel sleeping in the cat tower next to the couch. As soon as Dipper made eye contact with the 'helper,' the brunette felt rage bubble up in his chest.

"How the hell are you alive?" Andrew stood up suddenly, glaring towards them. Once he noticed Dipper, he growled. "I should have known."

"You're released from taking care of the apartment and Angel," Bill spoke over him, ignoring how upset he was. "Go ahead and go back to your room."

"What the _hell_ is he doing here?" Andrew asked, raising his voice.

"This is _my_ apartment," Bill stated. "Don't like it? Leave. I don't care what your 'God' told you. I don't need you anymore, you don't have to stay. I don't care if you're stuck here, I'm not going anywhere."

The helper didn't respond right away. Instead, he looked between the two men before turning and storming away. Once his door was slammed shut, Dipper let out his breath that he didn't realize he was holding.

"What's wrong with him?" Dipper questioned, feeling his heart racing in his chest.

"I'm pretty sure he will be freed from this realm if I died," Bill sighed and placed the food down and getting some plates. "I just wish he'd leave. I don't see why he has to continue living here."

"Why didn't he help you while you were in the hospital?" he asked while taking a seat on the couch. Once he did, Angel got up and stretched before jumping down and walking up to the brunette, sniffing his lap before climbing on and laying back down.

"He can't stop me from dying normally," he explained. "He just stops me from suicide."

Bill brought the food over on some fresh plates and took a seat next to the brunette, as closely as possible. Dipper smirked at the closeness and leaned against the blond while petting the cat's white fur.

"Well, I'm your emergency contact now," he looked over to the former demon who was starting to eat off the plate on his lap. "You can't die on my watch."

"For now," he mumbled. "Won't know anything until the results come back," he commented, noting back to the tests he had to go under.

"Just stay positive," Dipper reinsured. "I'll be with you along the way."

"Next week, right?" Bill asked, taking a mental note of the next appointment.

"Yeah," Dipper nodded. "I'll walk you to school and pick you up. You won't be walking alone. Please be more careful at school, your accidents could be part of the reason you're sick."

They ate together in near silence and Bill drug Dipper to the bedroom once they were finished. Angel followed them and lied down on the cat tower in the room while her humans piled on the bed together. Finally laying down on his mattress, Bill stripped his shirt and pants off, leaving him in his boxers against the cool, abandoned sheets. Dipper hesitantly followed suit and cuddled against the nearly-nude man.

"Are you feeling tired?" the brunette questioned while scooting closer.

"No," the former demon answered easily and wrapped their arms around Dipper's waist, pulling him closer. "I just needed this."

Dipper smiled sweetly and nuzzled against his face. Bill's now blind side was against the pillow, giving his good eye a good view of the brunette that was now lying in front of himself.

"Am I dreaming?" the blond asked softly, gently stroking Dipper's back. The younger male smiled sweetly and leaned up, giving Bill a soft kiss.

"I'm more awake now than I've been in months," he mumbled softly and wrapped his arms around the blond man's neck, pressing their lips together.


	26. Chapter 26

A loud ringing erupted Dipper from his sleep, stirring him awake nearly instantly. The room was barely lit up from the sun outside shining through the window. The room was cold and although the phone was still going off, the sleepy brunette didn't plan on moving. Currently, he was tangled in bed with his blond lover, who didn't budge since the phone started ringing. A small smile grew on his face at the sight of the sleeping figure. Gently, Dipper moved up to place a kiss on his lover's forehead. The ringing ended after a minute of ringing, allowing the brunette to settle back down against the pillow comfortably.

It was two days before they had to go back to the hospital for the results. Something had been bothering the younger male for a few days, but he couldn't find the words to voice what was wrong. Bill had been more attached to him for the last few days, but he had been more quiet. With the discovery of the blond man's sickness came with a lot questions. Of course, Dipper had many, but the former demon had expressed that he didn't want to discuss it. Saying it was over and he was better now. There were a few times when the questions caused Bill to shut down entirely for the remaining of the day. Even laying next to the man, Dipper felt like he was far away.

The room was quiet for at least another hour before the ringing returned, shaking the brunette from his half-sleep state. Grumbling sleepily, Dipper buried his face against the pillow. Unlike last time, Bill woke up to this ringing. The former demon lifted his head and yawned, rubbing his eyes before shifting and getting up. Dipper whined at the emptiness of the bed as Bill grabbed his ringing device.

"Hello?" he answered in a deep, husky voice. The blond wobbled back and forth for a few moments sleepily, squinting his remaining eye in confusion while the other person spoke on the other line. With another yawn, the blond walked out of the room with the phone still pressed to his head. "Who is this?" he asked as he left the room.

Dipper pouted in confusion and pushed himself off the bed to follow. Sticking his head outside of the door, he watched the bathroom door close and smirked a bit. ' _He must still be tired_ ,' the brunette thought to himself, having taken note that Bill was one of the rare beans that didn't take their phones with them to the bathroom. Deciding to just wait, the young male walked back to the bed and lied down.

Just as he was relaxing against the warmth of the bed, the blond came back into the room. Jolting from the covers, Dipper rose to his feet and watched as Bill scrambled to get dressed.

"What's going on?" he asked curiously. "Who called?"

"Mitch," he responded with a huff, sliding on a yellow sweater and black pants. The familiar name perked Dipper's interest.

"Your friends?" he asked, taking note of how the blond spoke fondly of his old students.

"Yeah," he answered easily, walking up to the brunette with a smile on his face. "They wanted to see me, so I invited them over." Dipper pouted a bit as the former demon wrapped his arms around his waist, holding the brunette in a loose hold. "What's wrong?" Bill asked suddenly.

"How much did you tell them about me?" the brunette asked, resting his head against the blond man's shoulder. Bill didn't respond right away. Instead, he leaned his chin against the brunette's head and tightened his hold.

"Sorry," he mumbled.

"Everything?" Dipper whimpered a bit, then sighed softly. "I'm sorry," he buried his face into Bill's shoulder and hugged his lover's torso tightly. "I'm glad they were able to help you at least," he muttered against his shoulder.

"I'm sure they'll like you," Bill attempting to reassure Dipper. "If it helps, Charlie wanted me to talk to you." The brunette lifted his head to stare at the taller male.

"Really?" he asked, a bit shocked.

"Yeah," the blond smiled. "Come on, get dressed. They'll be here in like an hour."

"An hour?" Dipper complained. "But we just woke up, we didn't even get breakfast yet."

"They're bringing food," he responded and ruffled the brunette hair. "They don't know you're here, but they said they were bringing a buffet."

Much to Dipper's complaints, he dressed while Bill tidied up the living room and kitchen for company. By the time the couple sat down to give Angel some attention, there were knocks on the front door. In fact, there were _several_ knocks on the door. A wide smile grew on Bill's face as he walked over to open the door.

"BILL!" Dipper heard a male's excited voice exclaim.

From the couch, the brunette watched his lover get hugged by a good-looking, tan man that was much taller than the former demon. He had a warm, welcoming smile on his face and tucked his chin perfectly on the blond's shoulder while they hugged. As much as he tried to keep a calm and content expression, Dipper couldn't help but pout from the sight. Already having seen the dark-haired man on the video, he couldn't help but suspect his feelings towards the professor.

"Hey, Damien," Bill greeted with a chuckle, hugging the man back. Damien's tone muscles flexed when he suddenly lifted the blond into the air suddenly, causing the former demon to yelp in surprise. "Put me down!" he demanded and smacked the tan man's shoulder.

Damien chuckled happily and moved to allow the rest of the group to walk in. One by one, four other people walked into the living space, both of the males holding cameras. Once the former demon was released, he greeting everyone with a smile and hug.

Mitch had sandy, blond hair and stood at the same height as Bill. He wasn't as toned as Damien, but he was still decently thin. Jack, on the other hand, was the tallest in the group with his long hard brown hair tied up in a messy bun. Even with pale skin, a little cushion on his stomach, and warm hazel eyes, his vibe didn't necessarily come off as the 'hug me' type. Charlie and Angie were both dark-skinned and very toned, more so than from the videos Dipper remembered seeing them in during the winter videos with Bill. The elder, Charlie, stood above her sister by six inches, while Angie sat at 5'1ft. The younger sister had very defined muscles, showing that she's been focusing on muscle building a bit.

Jack had a bookbag on his side and eyed Dipper suspiciously as he placed the bag of food on the coffee table. Mitch, Damien, Charlie, and Angie both were chit-chatting with Bill about how they have been doing since their departure with him. Feeling awkward from the other man's stares, the brunette pushed himself off the couch with Angel in his arms. Before walking up to the group though, Jack was next to Mitch's side, whispering something into the sandy blond's ear. After that, the two men walked out, calling Damien to join them.

"What happened to your eye?" he heard Charlie ask.

"I'll explain," Bill responded in a soft voice.

"You better," Angie mumbled worriedly.

Dipper took this moment to walk up with the purring kitten in his arms. Without a care in the world, Angel allowed herself to slump against the human and eyed the new people that were in her home. The trio moved closer to the couch when Mitch opened the door suddenly, causing the brunette to freeze in his tracks. Jack and Damien carried in a few boxes or equipment and placed them down inside the kitchen.

"Do you need a table?" Bill offered, stepping away from the girls and his frozen lover.

While the blond helped his friend pull the table out, Dipper looked over to the females that were now making themselves comfortable on the couch. It felt weird to Dipper to be ignored. Especially because he was standing right next to the coffee table. The four men were working together to set up a recording station in between the living room and kitchen. After a few minutes of helping though, Bill was pulled away by Damien.

"Don't worry about it," he assured the blond with _both_ of his hands on either side of Bill's arms. "They got it, we'd just be in their way."

His voice was almost too soothing to Dipper, causing him to chew excessively on the inside of his bottom lip. It was almost like Damien had a _thing_ for _his_ lover. Without thinking, Dipper cleared his throat to get Bill's attention. It worked. The former demon's eyes widened at the realization and he walked up to Dipper.

"Yeah, I was gonna ask," Charlie crossed her legs and checked Dipper out. "Is this...?" she started asking but trailed off.

This got everyone's attention. Dipper looked around and saw everyone staring at him now. Even Jack and Mitch have stopped to work.

"This," Bill started, looking at the brunette before looking around the room to his friends. "Is Dipper."

The room was silent.

The room was silent for a lot longer than Dipper was comfortable with.

Feeling guilt and shame rise in his chest, the brunette adjusted Angel's position and held her closer. Even with Bill's arm around his waist, he felt like was being murdered with everyone's eyes. Everyone looked around, giving each other different looks before Jack and Mitch went back to working.

" _This_ is Dipper?" he heard Damien question then scoff. "I'm so much better." Dipper sent the man a glare. In return, the taller man held his hands up in defense. "My opinion."

"Please," Bill pleaded softly towards his friend.

"All I'm saying," Damien smirked and strutted up to the couple. "You have competition," he warned then wrapped an arm around the blond's waist, pulling Bill away from the brunette and into his own chest. "And I don't play nicely," he chuckled, locking his arms. The blond's face was red but he didn't make much movement in the taller man's arms.

Dipper narrowed his eyes and placed Angel on the ground. The room was filled with silent snickers and chuckled, causing blood to fill his cheeks in embarrassment. As soon as Angel's paws hit the floor, Angie stood and scooped her up. Afterward, she trotted over to Jack's side and simply _ignored_ the situation. ' _Is this normal?'_ Dipper questioned as he grabbed Bill's hand while he was still being held.

"You can let me go now," Bill gave Damien's arm a light pat before being released and returning to Dipper's side.

"Okay," Charlie cleared her throat, looking back to the blond. "One question down, now to the important one. What happened to your eye?"

"Yeah, man, did you poke it?" Mitch asked, chiming in from where he was working.

"If he poked it, wouldn't the patch be too much?" Jack questioned.

"I don't know, man," Mitch shrugged. "That shit fucking hurts if you do it with a pencil."

"I doubt he did that," Jack's voice was flat and bored, focusing on the task at hand.

"Yeah," Angie agreed. "Who would be dumb enough to poke that hard that it requires a patch?"

"It could have been with a knife," Mitch suggested, shrugging.

"Tell me, Mitch," Jack stared hard at the sandy-haired man. "Why the _fuck_ would someone try poking their eye with a knife?"

"I don't know," Mitch laughed. "Ask him, he's the one that did it."

Then, Jack and Angie stared over to Bill with annoyed expressions on their faces. Without saying anything, Jack looked back at his friend.

"You've poked yourself in the eye with a pencil before," he concluded. "Haven't you?"

Angie's lips instantly grew into a smile while Mitch pouted childishly.

"Okay, children," Charlie called over to them in an attempt to stop the bickering. "Please, answer the question, Bill," she tried again. "And _only_ Bill this time, okay?" she looked back over to the trio, scowling a bit towards her sister.

Dipper leaned his head against Bill's shoulder and squeezed his hand in encouragement. The former demon glanced back at his lover for a moment before sighing softly to answer the question.

"I lost it to cancer," he stated softly.

The room was silent again. Instead of the judgemental stares Dipper received, Bill was given shocked and saddened expressions. Charlie was the first to move; she stood from the couch and gave Bill a tight hug. The brunette released his lover's hand and allowed the blond to hug the dark-skinned girl back, just as tightly. Just as she began pulling away, she suddenly swung her arm and smacked the blond man's shoulder.

"What was that for?" Bill pouted towards her, holding his bruised arm.

"For not telling us you were sick," her voice was shaky like she was trying to hold back tears.

"I didn't tell anyone," he explained, averting his eyes.

"Are you kidding me?" Mitch's voice rose and footsteps were heard. Soon, Bill had all his friends in front of him, hugging him one by one.

"Dude, what the fuck?" Angie's voice chimed in.

"Tell us what happened," Jack demanded, staring straight at the blond.

With his head bowed, the former demon explained everything. Even information he hasn't shared to Dipper yet.

"My apartment got broken into," he started. "I got attacked and Dipper pointed out a speck in my eye. My vision started going back so he made me get an appointment. They said I would get the results over the phone, but when I got the phone call, I was told to go to back down to get my test results instead. They told me I had a tumor growing behind my eye. The surgery was too much, so I left. I wasn't really planning on getting help. After having issues at school with my health and ended up fainting and got admitted into the hospital. Dipper randomly showed up after a couple of days and paid for the surgery after finding out what was wrong."

"You didn't tell him?" Damien asked, nodding towards Dipper. This was the first time he spoke since hearing the news.

"I found out right before the school's live performance," Bill sighed, looking up to the long-haired man. "I didn't want him thinking about it, he needed to concentrate."

"I still should have been told," Dipper commented gently, careful not to use a harsh tone. The former demon glanced back at the brunette with a sorrowful expression.

"I didn't mean to-" he started speaking but was interrupted by Jack smacking his arm suddenly. Flinching from the pain, Bill looked to his friend and frowned. "Seriously?"

"Dude, do we mean anything to you?" Jack cried out, voice cracking and wobbling a bit. His eyes were full of hurt and Dipper couldn't help but feel for him.

"You guys mean a lot to me," Bill began to answer, a look of guilt taking over his expression.

"Then you should have said something!" the tall man crossed his arms and turned away, walking behind Angie.

"I couldn't," he mumbled, grabbing his lover's hand and giving it a squeeze. "I'm sorry."

"That's not fair," Angie spoke up, her eyebrows scrunched up in a saddened expression, placing Angel back on the ground.

"You could've been dead right now," Damien stated in a low voice. "You realize that, right?"

"We wouldn't have even _known_ ," Jack pressed, storming back to the table to finish the setup.

Bill stayed quiet and bowed his head. His constant mumbles of apologies didn't go unnoticed though. Charlie hugged her friend again and the blond hugged back immediately. Looking over to Jack, Dipper felt a pang in his heart as he watched the tall man sulk into the chair. The former demon was surrounded by comforting embraces from each of his friends.

After Bill was released from the group's hold, he walked over to Jack and sat in a chair next to him. Dipper wasn't able to hear what they were talking about, but he was sure whatever it was, he didn't need to be a part of it. Instead, he focused his attention back on the kitty that was now rubbing her side against his leg. Dipper lifted the kitty and cradled her like a baby, much to her delight. Without saying anything to anyone, he carried the kitty to their bedroom.

Taking this moment for himself, the brunette filled the cat bowl with fresh food and water. Although he hasn't really had an issue with everyone there, he still felt like something was off. After cleaning the litter box, Dipper returned to the living room, only to stop half way when he heard someone say his name.

"I've hurt him too," Bill's voice sounded defensive. "He's forgiven me. I should give him the same luxury."

"If someone doesn't forgive something after 10 years, then _they_ are the problem," Dipper heard Jack's voice scolding.

"What happened wasn't his fault," Bill tried again.

"You said he lied to you," Angie's voice piped in.

"No, I said he kept a secret from me," he argued back.

"The same thing," Mitch commented. "Avoiding the truth is a type of lie."

"I would rather you date Damien," Angie stated. Dipper's heart dropped.

"No," Bill sighed heavily.

"Guys, just chill," Charlie piped up. "It's his decision. Dipper did kind of save his life, so I think he deserves a chance."

"He's still competition," Damien chimed in, suddenly walking towards the kitchen. He flinched and stopped when he saw the brunette standing in the hall. The tan man turned back to the others and jabbed his thumb towards the frozen brunette.

There was suddenly rustling coming from the living room and Bill appeared at the end of the hall, staring back at Dipper. The brunette flinched a bit when the former demon walked up to him.

"Hey," Bill cooed, concern filling his eyes and tone. "I'm sorry," he mumbled and pulled Dipper into his arms. Silently, the brunette hugged his lover back and buried his face into his shoulder.

"Don't apologize," he responded. "You deserve friends that look out for you like this. I'll prove to them I'm worthy to have you."

Bill pulled away a bit and placed a soft kiss on Dipper's lips. The brunette responded immediately and kissed his lover back, tightening his grip around the blond's waist. Once the kiss was broken, the former demon rubbed their noses together and pulled away.

"I'm looking forward to it," he chuckled and laced their fingers together as they returned to the living room.

Before they could pick somewhere to settle down, Charlie was in front of Bill with a hardcover book, that had the words 'notebook' engraved on the front, in her hand. The couple stopped and the blond man tilted his head.

"You know how you left us a bunch of songs?" she asked sweetly. Bill nodded and she opened the notebook to a page with a red sticky note attached to it. "There are two songs that I'm having issues getting the grasp of, vocally. We wanted to see if you could help us get the songs together. Also, we wanted to ask you to sing one of them. I liked your voice with it best when you sang it for us."

Curiously, Dipper moved to look down at the notebook. Instead of lines on the page like he would expect, this book bad pages that were meant for a sketchbook. There were random doodles and swirls with words written around them. Since he was only able to see one page, he couldn't tell what the song was supposed to be about.

"I don't mind," Bill responded, letting his lover's hand go in order to take the book. The blond looked over the page and walked past them, sitting next to the recording setup that Jack and Mitch put together.

Dipper sat on the couch with Angie, who was focusing on her phone, and watched as Bill worked with Jack. Mitch and Damien joined the trio in getting one of the songs put together. Music filled the room but was quickly turned off for comment and adjustment. After a while of bickering back and forth from Mitch and Jack, Damien plugged in a keyboard piano in an attempt to get more options for sound. It took a few hours for the music to sound right for Bill, which left the hardest part.

The vocals.

Due to the opened space in the living area, Bill watched with Charlie as the trio carefully move the recording station to his bedroom. If it weren't for Damien being there, they possibly wouldn't have gotten it done.

During their recording session, the rest of the group left the apartment to pick up some much-needed food. Dipper played with Angel during that time, occasionally hearing singing coming from the bedroom. By the time everyone returned, the recording was only half done.

"So," Damien sat next to Dipper with a plate of food in each hand, placing one on the younger man's lap. "How did you two meet?" he asked curiously.

Mitch sat next to Damien on the couch while Jack and Angie took the remaining chairs. All of them were staring at the brunette, ready to hear the untold story.

"B-Bill didn't t-tell you?" Dipper asked hesitatingly.

"Nope," Mitch stated.

"We figured you would tell us," Damien continued. "What did he do so badly that he is willing to forgive you?"

Dipper froze from the question, instantly feeling guilt and anxiety filling his stomach. Gulping hard, the brunette closed his eyes and shook his head.

"He should tell you," he mumbled.

"Why can't you?" Jack questioned. The younger male looked up and felt a chill run down his spine at the cold stare. "That bad?"

Without thinking, Dipper nodded. It was the truth, either way. Plus, he didn't think it would be right to start off a friendship with them with a lie.

Before anything else was said or asked though, there was a door opening and footsteps.

"We're done!" Charlie sang into the room, posing like a model.

The rest of the group began cheering. Damien and Mitch placed their food on the coffee table and moved to the bedroom to help Bill move the station back. Once that was done, the blond took Damien's spot and nuzzled against the brunette's cheek, hugging his lover tightly.

"Did you have fun?" Dipper asked with a warm smile on his face, hugging the former demon back.

"You guys wanna hear it?" Charlie asked excitedly, sitting next to Jack excitedly.

"Hold your horses," Jack chuckled. "I still have to put it together and match it up right."

"I did that," Bill called over to him without moving.

"Did you forget he's a pro?" Charlie giggled then pointed at something on the screen. "Click that!"

Within a few moments, there was a soft piano melody that filled the room. It was the music they were working on from earlier. This time though, Charlie's voice began singing.

" _Don't you know I'm no good for you?_

 _I've learned to lose you, can't afford to._

 _Tore my shirt to stop you bleeding,_

 _But nothing ever stops you leaving"_

It could have been just from the natural talent from the girl, but her voice sounded very pained. The words stung Dipper's heart.

" _Quiet when I'm coming home and I'm on my own_

 _I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that_

 _I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that"_

Reminders of who wrote the song ran through the brunette's mind, causing tears to fill his eyes.

" _Don't you know too much already?_

 _I'll only hurt you if you let me_

 _Call me friend, but keep me closer (call me back)_

 _And I'll call you when the party's over_

 _Quiet when I'm coming home and I'm on my own_

 _I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that_

 _I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that_

 _But nothing is better sometimes_

 _Once we've both said our goodbyes_

 _Let us let it go_

 _Let me let you go"_

Dipper was basically crying at this point. Bill's arms were tight around the brunette, holding him like this would be the last time.

" _Quiet when I'm coming home and I'm on my own_

 _I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that_

 _I could lie, say I like it like that, like it like that"_

Once the track was over, the room erupted in applause. While the others were giving compliments to Charlie for her vocals, Dipper was moved to Bill's lap. The brunette buried his face into the former demon's shoulder and he let out his silent sobs. Once the focus was on the couple on the couch, Dipper felt a hand on his back. Flinching from the touch, the brunette lifted his head to see Charlie looking at his with worry written on her face.

"Are you okay?" she asked while rubbing the boy's back.

"Y-your vocals," Dipper wiped his face pathetically and sniffed. "Beautiful. It was beautiful."

"Then why are you crying, silly?" she smiled sweetly to him and giggled a bit.

"You're just that good," Bill cooed and traced hearts on Dipper's lower back, smiling up to the female singer. "Raw talent."

Dipper nodded and leaned back against his lover, burying his face back into his lover's shoulder. He felt Bill chuckle and leaned his own head against the brunette's shoulder.

"You guys are too sweet," she commented with a giggle. "We still need to work on the other song!"

"Another day," Bill rose his head to respond but immediately placed it back down.

"You'll let us come over again?" she asked excitedly, sitting on the couch next to them.

"Of course," the former demon chuckled. "You guys are welcomed anytime."

"What about work?" Mitch asked, moving away from the station with his half-eaten plate.

"I can't work," he responded.

"You can't?" Angie asked curiously, sitting in the chair next to Jack.

"After the surgery, my doctor put me on a Medical Leave of Absence for six months," he explained.

"Why so long?" Jack asked.

"Recovery, testing, and treatment," he explained gently, voice faltering a bit.

"Did they find something else?" Charlie asked with worry in her tone.

Bill stayed silent, shrugging ever so slightly. So slightly, Dipper only knew he did because he could _feel_ the man shrugging. The brunette rose his head and stared at the blond, feeling anxiety and fear filling his heart.

"You have an appointment in two days," he reminded his lover.

"What is it for?" Mitch asked.

"The results, right?" Dipper half-answered, half-asked.

"Why wouldn't they check right away?" Jack questioned with an irritated tone.

"That's what they said," Bill mumbled. "They could have, I don't know why they would have waited. I don't know, can we please talk about something else?"

The room went silent again. Dipper and Bill were staring at each other, trying to plead with one another without words.

"Do you know what the appointment is for?" the brunette asked, pressing the conversation. Bill looked away and he bowed his head.

"They're going to check my eye," he mumbled, answering against his will.

"What about the results?" he asked. Bill went silent again. Dipper's heart dropped to his stomach. "Bill, I can't do this. Please, just tell me."

"They told me, privately, that they would call for my results," the former demon spoke slowly. "They said it was a high chance it spread. They called yesterday. After looking at my eye, I'm going through my first round of radiation."

At that news, Dipper felt his heart break. Sobs burst from his eyes and he latched onto the blond again, feeling his lover hugging him back tightly.

"We're moving here," Damien announced, standing up and leaving the room with his phone in his hands.

However they were going to do it, Dipper didn't care. All he cared about was knowing that his lover is still fighting for his life.


	27. Chapter 27

Bill's friends stayed the night the day they came over. After hearing the news, everyone had their fair share of tears while Damien made arrangements to permanently park their motorhome. Mitch and Damien had taken the time to record a few bits of the calmer parts of the day for their channels and took the time to edit what they had during dinner.

Dipper was exhausted; mentally and physically. While none of Bill's friends were necessarily mean to him, he still felt like they didn't want him there. This leads the young male to keep to himself and simply watch as they socialized with each other. Since it was the blond man's decision to have them stay the night, Dipper didn't feel like he had any right to debate the idea. Bill stayed next to the brunette throughout the evening, barely leaving his side for longer than a few minutes.

After they finished rearranging the living room to allow the friends to spread out for sleep. With the coffee table being moved to the kitchen along with the recording set up, there was enough room in the living room for a nice sleeping area. Once done, everyone sat out in the back porch to have a smoke session. Thankfully, they had lawn chairs in their motorhome so everyone had a place to sit. Everyone sat in a circle; Bill next to Dipper on his right side while Mitch sat on his left. Next to Mitch was Damien, then Jack, Angie, and finally, Charlie sat on the other side of Dipper.

Instead of a pipe like what the blond man had his lover use, Charlie and Angie rolled up a few joints and blunts for them to smoke off of. The conversation was light, talking about where they wanted to go along with sharing stories of their own. It didn't take long for Dipper to relax, thanks to the product they were using. Slowly, he felt his anxiety drift away into a soothing, blissful sensation. The conversations between the group were full of enthusiasm and joy. It was clear to Dipper now why these friends worked too well together. After seeing how they work together and speak to each other, it was clear to see this was a family. All different perspectives that align well together. The warmth of the conversation was exhilarating, even though the brunette wasn't paying attention to any of it.

Like, at all.

Instead of participating in the conversation, Dipper was resting his head against the blond man's shoulder and enjoying the light feeling he was getting from the smoke. He didn't even realize the conversation began steering towards himself.

"Hey, little high boy," Angie giggled and called over to him, a wide grin on her face. The sudden call pulled Dipper out of his thoughts, looking over towards her. "Since you're going to be with Bill, we want to show you something."

Confused, the brunette looked over to the former demon. Instead of getting a look of encouragement or equal confusion, he was met with Bill wearing a snarky grin and held a hand over his mouth. Feeling even more confused, the "high-boy" looked back to the dark-skinned girl.

"What is it?" he asked in a shaky voice.

In an instant, both Charlie and Angie _poofed_ and black glitter went everywhere. In their spots sat two small dragons. The brunette's jaw dropped and he began rubbing his eyes quickly just to be sure he was actually awake. After repeating this action, the group began chuckling.

"What the fuck?" Dipper asked in confusion and stood up, eying the dragons from his spot and moved to the blond's lap. "Where the fuck did they go?" he asked in a panic. The laughter on the porch got louder. Dipper looked back at Bill, who was also laughing. "What kind of magic trick is this?" he asked, feeling his heart pumping in his throat.

"It's not a magic trick," Bill responded, chuckling and leaned forward to give him a small kiss. "That's them."

"Bullshit," the brunette scowled and looked at the two.

Both of the dragons were purple, one looked about a foot tall, in Angie's seat, while the other looked closer to two feet tall, in Charlie's seat. Their wings were tucked behind them and they simply stared at the high-boy back with interest.

"Are you serious?" he asked in a more hushed tone towards his lover.

"Yup!" Charlie's voice came from the taller dragon. Dipper's eyes went wide again and the group began laughing again.

"Did that dragon just _talk_?" he asked, bewildered.

Dipper walked up to the two dragons cautiously, still completely convinced he was hallucinating what was in front of himself at the moment. The dragon in Angie's seat stretched her wings out a big and swooped up into the air, landing on Jack's lap.

"I'm too high for this shit," he concluded, straightening up and turned to sit on Bill's lap, burying his face in the crook of his neck. He felt the older man laughing against his body and blushed when the former demon hugged him protectively.

"They won't hurt you," he chuckled against Dipper's ear.

The brunette whined and moved a bit to get comfortable in his lap. The blond moved around a bit as well and allowed his lover to lay comfortably next to his side.

"So I'm awake?" he asked in a concerned tone. "I'm not seeing things? They actually just turned into mythical creatures?"

"You can talk to them, you know," came Damien's voice.

Pouting, the brunette turned to the purple dragons and watched as Charlie extended her wings and flew to sit on the chair Dipper was previously in.

"We're not from here, obviously," the dragon spoke calmly, sitting comfortably in the seat.

"So, you're not human?" Dipper questioned.

"We're one hundred percent human," Angie commented from Jack's lap sarcastically. "Perfectly human, we could make you look like a goblin."

The males began chuckling softly, except for Bill. Instead, the blond nudged the high-boy's side and mumbled into his ear.

"They're magical dragons," he explained. Dipper looked at the former demon.

"How long did you know?" he asked his lover. "Why didn't you tell me this? That would have been awesome to know _sober._ "

"I wanted to see your reaction," Bill confessed with a wide grin on his face, no regrets. "As did everyone else."

"I think your reaction was the best one yet," Mitch commented while chuckling.

"You should have seen Damien's," Jack added, laughing while Angie got comfortable on his lap in a cat-like manner.

"What happened?" Dipper asked, a little amused and glanced to the tan man, who was also chuckling with the group.

"I was being _friendly_ to Angie and she changed forms as a rejection," Damien explained, shaking his head and chuckling a bit more.

"He _literally_ peed himself!" Jack exclaimed, laughing hard with Mitch while the tan man covered his face. Although he seemed a bit embarrassed, he was still chuckling.

"I wasn't trying to come off like that," Damien held his hands up a bit, looking between his friends. "It's just me!"

"We know that now," Charlie chimed in, giggling at the memory.

"What was he doing?" Dipper asked, chuckling a bit.

"Basically the same shit he was doing to Bill today," Jack explained, shrugging a bit. "He does that with everyone. Bill's just the only one who hasn't elbowed him for it."

"That's normal?" the brunette asked carefully.

"What?" Damien tilted his head, an amused smirk on his face. "You think I actually have a thing for him?" Truthfully, Dipper did. So, in response, he shrugged. Damien snickered and shook his head. "After hearing what happened between you two, I wanted to show him how he should be getting treated. So, as I said earlier, I'm your competition."

"He's pansexual," Bill whispered into Dipper's ear low enough so only he could hear it. "He's not interested in me, I promise," the blond kissed his lover's ear gently. A wave of relief hit the brunette and he let out a soft sigh.

"I love him," Dipper admitted to the group, blushing a bit when he felt the blond squeeze him. "I appreciate you wanting him to know how he should be getting treated, though," he continued softly then looked at all the group members. "I watched you guys while we were separated."

"You did?" Mitch asked, suddenly feeling excited. "Did you like the music? Bill wrote basically every song!"

"Not every one of them," Bill shook his head but smiled sweetly.

"I loved them," Dipper replied contently, looking at Mitch. "Thank you for being there for him. All of you. I know he really needed help, so thank you so much."

"Okay," Bill mumbled and pouted a bit in embarrassment. "I'm not fragile."

"Yes, you are," the group replied in literal unison. The blond blushed and everyone began laughing, not expecting the group reply.

Once the laughter died down, the brunette looked to Charlie that was still sitting next to them.

"Where are you from?" Dipper asked, curiously.

"We're from a mountain chain called The Cryo White Crystal Mountains," she explained. "We're a rare ice dragon breed. All the knowledge of our species and where we're from is lost to human-kind."

"Why did you come here?" he asked.

"Bored," Angie replied from Jack's lap. Dipper looked over to the smaller dragon and smirked a bit.

"You guys were bored?" he questioned.

"Yup!" Charlie cheered. "No one comes to our land anymore. No one around to tease. Humans are fun, so we disguise ourselves as them and came here. Once the academy was built, we joined."

Dipper stayed quiet for a moment, attempting to process the information he was given. Half convinced he was actually hallucinating this entire scene, the brunette extended his arms to Charlie.

"Can I hold you?" he asked suddenly.

Without saying anything, Charlie spread her wings and lifted herself up and into Dipper's, tucking her wings comfortably while settling down. The young boy gasped in shock and smiled brightly, holding the creature carefully. Bill moved one hand to scratch in between her wings. Dipper leaned against the former demon and the dragon allowed herself to rest in between the two, now sitting comfortably on the blond's lap.

"This is crazy," Dipper commented, running a finger through the scales on the back of her head. "Gravity Falls is perfect, considering the number of creatures here."

"That's why we came to this town first," Angie said from Jack's lap.

"There's a history here, I can feel it," Jack commented, scratching the back of Angie's head.

Bill tensed under Dipper at the man's comment.

"What can you feel?" Mitch asked, wanting to join the conversation.

"Something bad happened here," the long-haired man responded with ease. "I asked a few original residents if something bad ever happened here and they either laughed it off nervously or avoided the topic altogether."

"There's a reason," Dipper mumbled. Everyone froze and stared at the brunette curiously. "Have you heard of the 'Never-Mind-All-That Act?'" he asked.

"That's what everyone kept saying to me," Jack replied while raising one eyebrow. "Are you an original resident?"

"No," the brunette shook his head. "But I came here when I was 12, just about to turn 13."

"Did something bad happen?" Mitch asked while leaning in.

Nervously, the brunette looked at Bill. The pair stared at each other, debating with their eyes on what to do. The look was noticed by the small dragon on the blond's lap.

"You're killing us," Damien stated, trying to pull the two out of their staring competition. Bill looked at his friends and chewed on his bottom lip nervously.

"Was it the thing you did?" Charlie asked quietly, catching everyone's attention nonetheless. The former demon sighed heavily and averted his eyes.

"What happened?" Jack asked.

"Did you kill a guy?" Angie chimed in.

"We can help you hide the body," Mitched chimed in.

"We seriously can," the long-haired man added, nodding.

This brought a small smile to Bill's lips, chuckling softly and shook his head.

"I did a lot more than that," he sighed and looked at Dipper again.

"Are you comfortable with telling us?" Damien asked with a soft tone.

The group stayed quiet while Bill pondered for a response. The brunette knew the former demon couldn't lie, so he understood the fear of letting his friends know the _truth._

And then… He did.

"I used to be a demon," Bill confessed. The group was silent. Hesitatingly, the blond took a soft breath in and gripped Dipper's waist. "I tried killing the entire town. Almost succeeded."

"So," Jack blinked multiple times, processing the information. "That 'Act' was because of you? Everyone avoiding that topic was because of you?" Bill nodded slowly.

"Details," Charlie demanded from his lap. "All of them."

"I've been alive for trillions of years," he explained in a shaky voice. "After my attack on this town, I was cursed to live my last life as a human."

"So much for a curse," Mitch remarked and snorted. "You get weed, music, good friends, and even a lover."

"I also have bad luck and the inability to lie," the blond mumbled. "The bad luck makes it hard," he trailed off then leaned his head against the brunette's shoulder. "He makes it worth it."

"I knew it," Angie stated then placed her head down on Jack's lap and closed her eyes, looking like she was taking a cat nap.

"What?" Bill's brows scrunched up in confusion while lifting his head. "How?"

"She just thinks everyone she meets is a demon," Jack shrugged, going back to petting the small dragon. "Its Gravity Falls and I'm holding a dragon. Anything is possible. I knew you were something, just not _that_."

"Do you still have magic?" Mitch asked suddenly. "Can you teach me? Man, that would be so cool if I could be a demon! What did you do besides being on Earth?"

The questions threw Bill off, not expecting everyone to be surprisingly _okay_ with the information. Well, mostly everyone. While the blond spoke about his stories beyond this dimension, Dipper looked over to Damien. He was surprisingly very quiet after hearing the news. Unfortunately, with how lovely the group is, it was easy to miss the tan man's silence. Charlie moved from Bill's lap and sat in her previous seat, changing back to her human form on the way to the chair. As soon as she sat down, Damien stood up and excused himself before walking into the apartment. Bill noticed the action and silenced his story, watching the tan man retreating back into the apartment.

"I'll talk to him," Dipper mumbled and gave the former demon a kiss on the cheek. Bill turned back to his lover and tightened his hold before releasing his lover to go talk to his friend.

"I want details," Charlie's voice came to Dipper's ears as he was closing the door.

Once inside, Dipper watched as Damien sunk down on the couch, staring at the table in the middle of the room. The taller man noticed the other immediately and sighed, bowing his head.

"I owe you an apology," his voice was hollow, but Dipper knew he meant his words. "I didn't know what he did was that bad."

"It's alright," Dipper responded with a gentle voice and sat next to the taller man. "You don't want to hear about everything that happened?" he asked but regretted the question as he watched Damien grimace and shake his head.

"I may not be able to get over it if I do," he admitted. "He's different now, I know that. I don't want to hear what he did."

"Did you possibly have a run-in with him?" Dipper asked softly.

"No," Damien shook his head and fiddled with his fingers. "But my dad did."

The brunette chewed on his bottom lip and reached over to comfort the tan man. "Do you want to talk about it?" he offered gently.

Damien stayed quiet for a few moments before sighing and leaned back against the couch, trapping Dipper's hand.

"We were really poor," he began to explain, staring blankly in front of himself. "Someone told him he would be rich if he made a deal with a demon. He gave up his human emotions to get unlimited wealth." The tan man paused for a moment and closed his eyes. "All he had left inside was an empty bottle of rage. My mom tried to leave him but he followed us everywhere he went," he trailed off and began grumbling under his breath.

"What did you guys do?" Dipper asked while attempting to free his hand.

"I summed the same demon," he shrugged and moved forward a bit, allowing the brunette's hand to be freed. "Sorry," he mumbled and took Dipper's hand in his own, massaging the flesh while he continued talking. "In order to get the anger to go away, I was told to kill someone I love. The damn _thing_ was trying to get me to kill my mom. But I killed him instead. I still loved my dad and I knew the damn demon wouldn't help after hearing those terms."

"You did the right thing," Dipper told the taller man, allowing his fingers to intertwine with the others.

"That demon ruined our lives," he sighed heavily and shook his head. "I know it was my father's decision to summon him, but if demons didn't exist then it wouldn't have happened."

"I understand," Dipper nodded and felt Damien gently give his hand a squeeze.

"How did you survive?" Damien asked, looking at Dipper with sadness in his eyes. "What did Bill do to you?"

The brunette sighed and leaned against the tan man. As gently as he could, he tried to explain what happened all those years ago. "I made a deal with him and he possessed my body instead," he started. "He's shot magic at us a lot, tricked her to take over the town, and trapped my sister in a weird, yet pleasant prison. There was a lot more, but my Grunkle Stan stopped him."

"And now?" the tan man nodded towards the back door. "What's the difference?"

"You said your dad lost human emotion? Well, Bill gained it," Dipper leaned back and smiled sweetly. "He's apologized and really has changed. I'm sure the cancer is apart of his bad luck."

"You forgave him," Damien added silently. "I don't know how you could do that with someone that tried to kill you and your family."

"He grew to be human," the brunette kept his smile on his face then pulled his hand away from Damien's. "Want to go back out now?" he offered, standing up from the couch.

The taller man nodded then stood up, following Dipper back outside onto the porch. The brunette returned to his spot on Bill's lap and missed the concerned looks he was getting from the others. Unknowing of the looks, Dipper leaned against Bill's chest and pressed his face against the side of the former demon's head. The blond held the brunette immediately and they stayed like that for a few minutes. Those minutes were silent though.

Confused, Dipper lifted his head and looked over to see everyone looking at the couple. Angie, now back in her human form, was the first to speak up.

"I'm sorry," she announced, her voice full of genuine concern.

"We all are," Jack added.

Dipper felt taken aback and looked at Bill. "What did you tell them?"

"Everything I did to you," he mumbled, giving his lover an apologetic expression. "I'm so sorry," he whispered and the brunette instantly leaned against Bill and gave him a tight hug.

"I already forgave you," he mumbled back to the former demon and sighed contently.

"You okay?" Dipper heard Mitch's voice ask.

"I'm fine," came Damien's voice in response.

"Even with me?" Bill asked Damien, holding Dipper as if his life depended on it.

"I want to talk to you in private," the tan man replied, mumbling a bit. "But, otherwise, yes."

"Do you still want him?" Jack asked in a playful tone.

"Nah," Damien shook his head but smirked to go along with the joke. "Dipper, though? Yeah, he's mine."

"Hey," Bill pouted and shifted to let the blond give his lover a more protective hold. "He's mine. Not yours; mine."

The group laughed-light heartedly and Mitch held up a blunt.

"Last one?" he offered and the group cheered to light it.

About halfway down the blunt, everyone began heading to bed. All that was left was Damien, Dipper, and Bill. When he felt the time was right, the brunette removed himself from his lover's lap and stopped him from moving.

"I'll let you guys have your talk," he explained softly then gave Bill a soft kiss before glancing to Damien and headed back inside.

Dipper waited in the bed for hours before he heard the door open and close. With wanting to know what happened, the brunette couldn't find sleep even with how light he felt.

"Bill?" he whispered into the darkened room. There was rustling and droppings of clothing before the bed shifted.

"I'm here," he whispered back, sliding against the smaller male.

"How'd it go?" Dipper asked quietly, wrapping his arms around the former demon's bare waist.

"He told me a different demon ruined his life," he explained with a sorrowful tone. "Said he might need some time to truly process what I told him."

"He told me he didn't want to know," the brunette snuggled closer, blushing when he felt Bill hugging him tightly and rubbing his back through the thin shirt.

"Maybe he didn't want to hear it in front of everyone else," Bill suggested, sighing against Dipper's birthmark. One of the blond's arms trailed up his lover's back and stroked the brown locks. "It took a lot of explaining what I'm feeling for him to understand that I am actually human now."

"What did he want to know?" Dipper asked in curiosity.

"Everything that I did when becoming human," the blond answered, placing a soft kiss against Dipper's forehead. "And why I was so drawn to you. He didn't believe me that you wouldn't leave me alone."

Dipper snickered a bit and nuzzled against Bill's neck, tucking his head under his lover's chin. "You like that I didn't leave you alone," he remarked.

"And if I said I didn't?" Bill asked while raising one eyebrow.

Dipper lifted his head and stared at his lover with a smirk on his face.

"You're a bad liar," he commented before laughing sweetly and kissing his lover.

The next day, Dipper woke up to the wonderful smell of bacon and addicting heat. The spring air was cool against his foot when it poked out of the blanket as the younger man stretched. He snuggled closer to Bill's sleeping body and tangled their legs together again. This movement pulled the sleeping man out of his slumber, instantly pulling the brunette back against him.

"Good morning," Dipper whispered softly to the former demon.

"Not awake yet," Bill's voice was heavy with exhaustion.

The brunette chuckled softly and caressed his lover's back. Slowly, Dipper pushed Bill on his back and crawled on top of his lover. Watching the sleepy former demon blink up at his lover, his cheeks tinting red at the sight.

"Pine Tree…" he mumbled softly, resting his hands on the brunette's hips.

"I can help wake you up," Dipper whispered softly while leaning over the blond and pressing their lips together.

Feeling his heart pound hard in his chest, ghosting his fingertips up Bill's naked sides. The former demon shivers under his touch and pressed back against the kiss. The grip on Dipper's hips tightened and he felt waves of excitement and arousal shoot through his body. The brunette ran his tongue along Bill's bottom lip and didn't hesitate when his lover's mouth opened. Carefully, Dipper grounded his hips against the former demon's. The pressure from the other's growing erection shot pleasure through his groin, moaning into the kiss. The former demon broke the kiss and stared up at his lover with hazy eyes, panting softly and thrusts his hips forward suddenly. The jerking motion caused Dipper to gasp and grind back against the blond.

"Do you have lube?" the brunette asked against Bill's ear. In response, the blond whined and allowed his head to fall back against the pillow, releasing his grip. Dipper chuckled softly. "That just means we have to get some," he commented before grinding his hips back roughly against the former demon's.

"Fuck," Bill gasped out and closed his eye. His grip returned and he flipped their position so he could hover over Dipper. "You woke me up to tease me?" he pouted childishly and pulled at his lover's shirt. Blushing suddenly, Dipper allowed his shirt to be removed and covered his mouth with his hand just as the blond grounded their hips together again.

"Y-your friends," he tried to protest.

Bill rolled his eyes and scoffed. "You just asked for the lube," he stated and pulled away to remove Dipper's sweats in one go. "You can't tell me you care now," he finished and pressed their hips back together, groaning softly at the closeness.

Dipper moaned against his hand closed his eyes, bucking his hips forward. This caused Bill to chuckled pleasantly.

"I-I want," the brunette tried to speak but was cut off by another rough grind, causing his to shiver under the blond's touch. Bill kissed his lover deeply and cupped his cheeks, gaining a rhythm in his grinds.

"What did you want?" the blond asked as he broke the heated kiss, not slowing down his movement.

The brunette's erection throbbing in want, causing the boy to feel light headed like he was when he was high the night before.

"Tell me what you want, Pine Tree," Bill whispered huskily against his lover's ear and reached down between them, freeing both of their erections.

"You," Dipper moaned out and moved a hand down as well. The former demon pressed their foreheads together, staring at the brunette with care and want in his eyes.

Their hands collided and tangled with each other while they both reached for each other's erections. Without communication, both of the men pushed their throbbing veins together and were both pumping the lengths. Dipper felt his heart skip a beat when he realized just how much bigger his lover was in comparison to himself. The knowledge caused the brunette to push himself up a bit to smash their lips together.

Bill's hand was gentle against the brunette's erection. Waves of pleasure were causing both of the men to shiver against each other, moaning into the kiss. The kiss only broke once the two needed air, reconnecting immediately once they had enough. Their hands touched while they moved their hands on their members, sending shivers down Dipper's spine.

A sudden knock on the door ripped the men from their heaven. They both froze and broke the kiss, panting heavily against each other and stayed quiet. While Dipper's hand didn't move, Bill's did. The former demon began placing soft kisses on his lover's face and trailed down to Dipper's neck. With a blush on his cheeks, the brunette turned his head to expose more skin and jerked his hips up into Bill's hand.

"You guys awake?" came Mitch's voice from the other side.

"Mitch, leave them alone," they heard Charlie's voice call from afar.

"What? I wanted to offer wake and bake," Mitch whined.

"They might be busy," Charlie's voice scolded in an argument.

Her voice made Bill's hand stop and he leaned against Dipper's neck, snickering quietly. The brunette blushed deeply in embarrassment and wrapped his arms around his lover's neck. The former demon moved his head and gave Dipper a deep kiss, gripping their erections again, the smaller already starting to go limp.

"Don't forget me," Bill purred against his lover's mouth when the kiss broke. "Don't think of them, focus on me."

Dipper smiled, surprised by the blond's sudden willingness for sexual contact.

"Someone's eager," the brunette stuck his tongue out playfully and the blond chuckled back deeply.

"Did you forget how long it's been since we've touched like this?" he asked then began moving his hand again. Dipper gasped softly and it didn't take much to get the brunette to shiver under Bill's touch again.

"I'm glad you didn't forget," he mumbled shyly and wrapped his legs around Bill's waist.

Their lips met again and the mood was quickly brought back. While Dipper could still hear the voices from the living room, he appreciated the level of respect and space they were giving the couple. The brunette's hand found it's way back to both of the erections and they pumped their lengths. Soft pants and moans began escaping the back of their throats, only being muffled by their lips. Bill moved away from his lover's lips again, kissing his cheek down to his neck once again. As if on instinct, Dipper tilted his head and pressed the back of his hand against his mouth to muffle his sounds.

As they both began to edge on their releases, Bill had left a bright, purple mark right under Dipper's jawbone. Feeling proud of his work, the blond grabbed the brunette's butt and squeezed it roughly. A wave of confidence hit Dipper suddenly and he pushed Bill back onto the bed and grounded their hips together. The former demon smirked up to his lover but it quickly faded when the brunette pinned his wrists above his head.

"Pine Tree," he whined and bucked his hips for attention. "I was so close," he whimpered.

"I want to make you cum," Dipper purred and slowly began to pump their lengths together.

A strange tingle of pleasure shot through the brunette as he watched the blond unravel under his touch. With the new position, Bill happily wrapped his legs around Dipper's waist and held eye contact with his lover. The small blush on the former demon's face as they stared at each other was a deep reminder for the brunette that this man only wants _him_.

This man, who used to be an all-powerful demon, wants a human. Not just a human, but a human that he truly did once try to kill. Hovering over the creature that had so much power, so much _time_ , now completely submissive under his touch. Watching the way Bill's back arched from his own neck and chest being kissed and marked, drove Dipper insane. Their lips were together again and they groaned each other's names as they came together. The hot, white substance painted their chests and their pants were heavy.

The couple didn't move for a few minutes, just panting against each other and kissing. Dipper was growing maddingly addicted to how the former demon tasted. An idea came to the brunette and he pulled away from the kiss slowly. Bill's expression was soft, full of admiration and love. Hesitantly, Dipper leaned down and proceeded to clean up his lover's dirty chest with his tongue. The bitter taste was gross, but not enough to prevent the brunette from finishing the job just to see the flustered look on Bill's face.

"How could you do that?" the former demon mumbled, pouting playfully. "I don't think that tasted good."

Dipper snickered and rolled his eyes, fixing both of their boxers.

"You liked it," he mumbled and snuggled up to the blond's sides, hugging him tightly.

"Are you sure about that?" Bill rose an eyebrow and smirked. "I don't know if I'll want to kiss you after that."

Dipper pouted and sat up immediately, leaning over his lover. "Really?" he questioned, crossing his arms. "You don't want to kiss me?" Bill chuckled softly. "If you want to kiss me, then do it."

The former demon rolled his eyes and pulled the brunette down, kissing him deeply and shoved his tongue inside of Dipper's mouth to taste everything. Once the kiss broke, the brunette rubbed their noses together.

"Told you," he snickered and got comfy on Bill's check. "You're a bad liar."


	28. Chapter 28

True to his word, Damien parked next to the edge of the forest within a week thanks to Dipper's parents. The house that his mother had been working on was finally starting to come together, now just needing to be furnished. Because of the state that Dipper was in, his mom felt comfortable enough to leave to join his father in Portland and start her work again. This left the house empty until they came for their next visit, where they planned on furnishing the house. In the meantime, the group was given permission to park their vehicle next to the house while working with Bill on more music.

As it turned out, their fan-base online was ecstatic that the Bill had returned. Dipper didn't fully understand the entire business, but he enjoyed hearing Bill's work was successful. This did not prevent the fear that prickled at the back of Dipper's mind when he thought of his lover getting "popular." But that wasn't the only thing that was driving him crazy with fear.

He actually had begun to like Bill's friends.

He hated to admit it, but the former demon was great at picking friends.

This lead to a good number of nightmares that forced Dipper awake; Dreams about Bill falling in love with Damien or Mitch lunged his heart to the pit of his stomach. Ashamed of his fears, Dipper began shoving his emotions aside when he faced his lover and the others. All he could do was trust that Bill was just as crazy for him as he was for Bill. Unfortunately, that didn't mean his emotions didn't shine on his face. Like a small dent on a car that gets immediately pointed out by the owner, Bill's detective eyes immediately caught onto Dipper's shift in moods.

This shift in emotions leads to awkward conversations and tear-filled arguments between the two. Dipper felt guilty for keeping the nightmares secret, but he couldn't bring himself to talk about them when he could clearly see how exhausted Bill was from doctor appointments.

The treatments weren't too terrible, but they were told it would get worse with time. Since Bill was technically classified as stage three with this sickness, he was required to go through chemotherapy in stages while getting regular radiation treatments. These constant doctor's visits left Bill exhausted at the end of the appointments and unable to walk home. Damien was persistent in insisting that someone drive Bill and it wasn't long before Mitch took up the job. Since his family lived in town still, he was able to borrow one of his parent's vehicles as opposed to driving the large mobile home.

Since Bill started treatment and had to take a medical leave of absence from his career, there was barely any money coming in for bills to be paid.

Well, the random two thousand checks still came in but he was too paranoid to cash it. At one point, Dipper had brought up the possibility of asking his Grunkles to pay him for the work he does at the shack, only to get shut down by Bill getting defensive and offended that he even wanted to ask such a thing. The only money flow was the portion that Bill earned from the music he helped produce.

Dipper would actively take the trip down to the shack during closing hours to allow Stan to take the night off. Admittedly it was also to get a break from the apartment, not that he needed a break; Dipper would constantly keep in contact with bill through the night, even if it was just through text, but part of him felt as if this was also time for the former demon to get a bit of a break from him. This was because the former demon would primarily spend the time that the two were apart either with his friends, taking care of Angel, or taking care of his plants.

They hadn't had any sexual contact since the first day of Bill's friends stay. The lack of physical connection led to dipper having quite a few steamy dreams and awkward hard-ons in the mornings after a night of arguing. Guilt surrounded Dipper's gut every time he would get off, his eyes glued to the back of Bill's sleeping form. Shame would enter his system when Bill would place a kiss on his neck in the middle of the day and in an unconscious reaction he would push him away, an excuse on why he didn't want to try exiting his mouth before he even had processed what was going on.

Bill even took the time to go out and purchase lubricant at one point, in the hopes that they would be able to improve their attempts and possibly take their sexual adventures another step forward, only to be shot down once again. After another week of attempting to spice it up and being rejected each time, Bill gave up and had begun sleeping while facing away from Dipper, this would leave him up all night, thoughts rushing through his head.

This whole shift lasted until exactly three weeks after his friends arrived when the amount of stress and constant fighting caused Dipper to snap.

"Why are you turned away?" he quickly asked, the question coming out a lot harsher than he meant for it to be only to receive no response. "Bill, answer me." Dipper sat up and stared at Bill's bareback in the darkness.

"Why are you still here?" Bill's voice whispered, cracking slightly causing a chill to shoot through Dipper's spine.

"What are you talking about?"

"You don't touch me, you don't even cuddle with me anymore," Bill explained slowly, voice trembling a bit. "I feel judged by you every day, do you even want to be here anymore?"

The question hit Dipper like a ton of bricks. Was he actually not cuddling up to Bill anymore? Dipper thought of the past two weeks since Bill bought the lube, reread all of his lover's actions. The first day that Dipper denied any contact the former demon, that was also the first night that he didn't immediately cuddle up to Dipper. He didn't even fully realize his own lover's actions after being denied the first time.

Lowering his head, Dipper lied back down and wrapped his arms around Bill's frame

"I'm sorry, of course, I do," he mumbled. Bill squeezed his eyes shut and hugged himself, slightly moving away from Dipper. The movement sent a pang of regret through Dipper.

Silence hung in the room, leaving him speechless. He tried to cuddle up to Bill one more time and let a few tears escape his eyes when Bill pulled away once again before falling asleep.

Dipper didn't dream.

Once he woke up, he noticed that Bill had shifted. Now, he was cuddled into Dipper's chest. Unfortunately, his arms were not wrapped around his frame. Dipper still held onto the former demon but felt pain spike in his chest at the missing arms from his own frame. Sighing, Dipper removed himself from the bed and began heading to the restroom. But something caught his eye. Normally, the desk in the room was empty, but now there was a notebook sitting on top. Dipper's heart raced as he approached the furniture and slid the notebook open. Words were scrambled on the page, reading

Little do you know  
How I'm breaking while you fall asleep  
Little do you know  
I'm still haunted by the memories  
Little do you know  
I'm trying to pick myself up piece by piece  
Little do you know  
I need a little more time  
Underneath it all I'm held captive by the hole inside  
I've been holding back  
For the fear that you might change your mind  
I'm ready to forgive you, but forgetting is a harder fight  
Little do you know  
I need a little more time

Tears were falling down his face before he realized he was writing with the same pen that Bill had used just hours prior, writing back inside the journal. Ideas that this was meant to be a song rang through his head, allowing him a bit of clarity to write back

Little do you know  
I know you're hurting while I'm sound asleep  
Little do you know  
All my mistakes are slowly drowning me  
Little do you know  
I'm trying to make it better piece by piece  
Little do you know  
I love you 'til the sun dies

Dipper wiped his tears and closed the notebook with the pen inside. After leaving the room to use the restroom, he thought back to their relationship. Even though they had only been back in each other's lives for less than a year, he still felt the pull that he felt at the beginning that he was meant to be with him. Even with how messed up their past had been, he still felt the mad love he had back when they kissed for the first time.

Once he was back in the room, he froze at the sight of Bill sitting at the desk with the notebook opened his eyes moving over the words that Dipper had written.

"Bill," he called softly, slowly approaching the quiet man. "I'm so sorry"

Bill turned and looked at his lover with tears in his eyes. This caused Dipper's heart to drop again, pushing himself forward and taking the former demon into his arms.

"Please forgive me," he sobbed into Bill's hair while stroking his back. "I love you, please believe me. I'll make it up to you, I promise."

Bill wrapped his arms around Dipper's frame and held him tightly, sobbing into the younger male's shoulder. "Why?" he mumbled in a broken voice. The tone of his voice broke Dipper's heart even further.

"I'm so scared," he mumbled in reply, squeezing the former demon's body. He knew he needed to confess his nightmares before they drove him completely mad. "I-I've had so many nightmares of you leaving me…"

"Don't make me want to," he sobbed back, digging his nails into Dipper's shoulders.

"I promise I'll try," Dipper pulled away quickly and kissed Bill's lips. The sweetness from the former demon's lips exploded Dipper's scenes, reminding him of all the emotions and love he had for this man.

The couple lied back down, cuddling and kissing before falling back asleep refusing to let each other go.

The couple was sleeping peacefully for another few hours before there was a sudden body jumping on the bed, shaking both men awake. Once the two woke up, they instantly clung harder onto each other as the unnamed person continued jumping on their bed to wake them up.

"Good morning!" the voice cried out joyfully. The voice sounded a lot like Mabel to Dipper. Quickly, he sat up and pulled Bill with him.

"Mabel," he groaned in a sleepy voice. "Get out."

"Nope!" she giggled and fell to her knees, still jumping from the momentum. "No time for sexy stuff, get up!"

"Why?" he whined. Dipper was planning on waking up Bill with a surprise since he hadn't done that in a while.

"We're going camping!" she cheered happily, officially waking Bill up.

Mabel had arrived at the apartment early that morning with the rest of Bill's friends. Turns out, Charlie got in contact with her after Bill expressed Dipper was a twin and that he wanted to make peace with Mabel as well since she was connected with the events with Bill as a demon. Therefore, their choice was a camping trip.

Of course, both of their Grunkles were invited but they denied the invitation. No reason was given, but the Pines twins guessed it was because they didn't have the strength to apologize to the former demon just yet. While the thought of it bugged Dipper, Bill didn't seem to mind. Instead of dwelling on the possibility of the elder men still hating him, he focused on packing for the two-day trip and his medicine. Before leaving, the former demon made sure that Andrew knew to take care of Angel and the plants. While Bill worked, Dipper whined about going on the trip so suddenly to Mabel, to which Mabel had already thought of.

The hospital was open on the weekends, but Bill's treatments were usually during the week. Specifically, two days every week. Today was Friday, so they had the whole weekend to relax with their friends. Once ready, the trio headed to the camping site with Mabel driving. She expressed her excitement for the small trip. They were planning on taking a few tents into the forest and set up camp. Truthfully, Dipper was convinced this was a scheme to get Damien and Bill back on good terms. What helped him believe this theory was seeing his twin grabbing Bill's guitar before leaving.

Throughout the weeks, the taller male rarely made a sighting. Even though he was the one that encouraged Mitch to drive Bill to his appointments, he would occasionally drive Bill himself. This caused some songs with an empty emotion from the loss of the friend. The others attempted to keep Bill calm about the situation, reminding him that Damien needed time to process everything still since the wounds were reopened. Unfortunately, the former demon couldn't help but feel partly responsible for the pain. At least, that's what he told Dipper one night. He figured it was more lingering guilt from what he had done throughout his demonic life.

Mabel parked in front of their parent's tiny home. The building sat at 20 feet high with an angled, translucent roof and the walls were made from reused wood that was gathered from old barns. The home was roughly 30 feet wide, with a small dirt plot in a place where a lawn will eventually grow. The front door was white wood with two long windows on either side. The house was empty, of course, but fully functional. Although Dipper's parents allowed the friends to park their car out front, they didn't give the keys to allow them to stay inside. Not that the group minded though.

Once they parked, everyone shuffled out of the truck and gathered their overnight bags. Before they began heading into the forest, Dipper noticed Pacifica's limo pulling up. Of course, she was coming, how did he forget about her? Waving to her girlfriend, Mabel ran up while holding her bag and greeted her with a kiss. Together, they all hauled the food she bought for the small trip into the forest.

Dipper looked around the trees and took in a deep breath.

"It's a beautiful day," Bill noted softly, walking at Dipper's side. His voice caused Dipper to jump a bit and he blushed, glancing over to him.

"Yeah," he mumbled, wishing he wasn't holding the plastic bag so he could take the former demon's hand in his own.

They grudgingly only offered each other small talk, allowing Mabel to talk their ears off about how she loves Bill's friends. With each peaceful word that passed her mouth, Dipper's anxiety grew. After last night and this morning, the younger male questioned how he would be able to keep his relationship strong with people like them as threats.

Dipper scowled, eyes dropping to the ground. He hated himself for feeling jealous of them. It was obvious that they had a different connection with Bill than he did, but was that enough to make Bill want to leave him? Why was this even a fear in the first place? He was sure Angie and Jack were dating, with how close they obviously were, and that Mitch was straight. Damien was out of the picture now for the simple fact that he didn't like demons. Plus, since their silence with each other, he had been a lot more enthusiastic about flirting with Dipper than Bill. Also, as beautiful as Charlie was, he was sure that Bill wasn't interested in women. Even still, she was a lot different than Dipper and he wouldn't be able to hold it against Bill for wanting to see if he enjoyed being with a girl.

Sighing, the pit in Dipper's stomach grew.

There was a sudden jerk of his arm, pulling Dipper out of his thoughts. The hand-pulled Dipper back a bit from a ledge, something he hadn't even notice was in front of himself.

"Careful," Bill breathed into his ear, his arms immediately snaking around Dipper's waist.

"What the fuck!" Dipper heard Pacifica whine. "Those aren't just cheapy poor people groceries! Don't just drop them!"

Looking over, he watched a frantic Pacifica pick up the groceries that Bill dropped. A sense of relief washed through Dipper's senses.

"They will live," Bill argued back half-heartedly before giving his attention back to Dipper. "Are you okay? You kind of just blanked out there for a bit. We were talking to you but you just kept walking." The concern in the former demon's voice was heart-warming.

"Yeah, you in there, Dip-Dip?" Mabel's voice piped up, ruffling her brother's hair. Despite the question, a small smile was on her face. "Can't have you go walking off; the mermaid river is near-by. Blood-thirsty animals."

"Did you get stuck in one of their songs?" Bill asked again, nudging Dipper's cheek with his nose.

The concern overwhelmed his heart and he released the grocery bags he was holding himself, allowing his arms wrap back around his lover and squeezed. The movement shocked the former demon and his arms easily adjusted to hugging his lover close.

"The fuck, nerd!" Pacifica growled as Mabel picked up the dropped bags. "You guys seriously don't know how to hold onto food, do you?"

Pacifica's tantrums were ignored as Dipper and Bill clung onto each other.

"I'm sorry," Dipper mumbled. "I wasn't paying attention."

"I can see that," Bill chuckled softly. "Come on, before the valley girl has a heart attack."

"I heard that!"

Once the group got to the campsite, Charlie and Mitch ran over to greet them and take the grocery bags, quickly placing them on large plastic tables that they had set up with smoking products, dozens of bottles of alcohol, chasers, and snacks.

"Welcome to Camp Thneed!" Mitch cheered happily, everyone cheering and raising their glass in a toast. Mitch held a shot glass with gin inside and Jack had a screwdriver half empty, Angie had her dragon tail out with her human form while sipping a large glass of wine, and Charlie also had a large shot glass full of tequila in her hand. Damien, who stood off to the side a bit, glanced over to the group while holding a beer and waved a bit, forcing himself to smile.

"Thneed?" Dipper chuckled at the drunken group.

"Inside joke," Bill mumbled to his lover with a wide smile on his face. "Where are we staying?" he asked, turning his attention back to his overly happy friends.

"With Damien!" Angie slurred, taking a large gulp of her drink. "No three-ways!" she warned when she lowered the glass from her lips. "We'll all hear," she hiccupped and giggled.

"Here's a condom just in case," Jack joked and tossed a small plastic package to the former demon. Bill caught it easily and looked at the package.

On the front of the package in neon yellow writing reading, "Lightsaber Cock: Let the fight begin."

"It glows in the dark!" Angie cried, giggling like mad while finishing the wine.

Bill even burst into laughs at reading the package, causing Mabel and Pacifica to lean in and read and fall into fits of laughter of their own. Everything was going to quickly around Dipper, he didn't even have time to fully comprehend that the condom was just a joke.

"You guys need to catch up," Mitch announced while pouring the newcomers shots of gin.

Dipper and Bill walked up to the table with his twin sister and her girlfriend in tow. The rest of the group hovered around the table and poured themselves shots for themselves as well.

"Cheers!" Charlie beamed while raising her glass.

"To good friends and good times," Damien spoke in an even tone, holding his glass up to clink against everyone else's glasses.

Everyone took their shots and chaser, Dipper cringed to the polish-taste the alcohol gave him. Once he recovered, he noticed Charlie already pouring them another.

"Just you guys now," she giggled and handed everyone a new glass.

Everyone started drinking again and socializing excitedly. Mabel was quick to take her shot and make herself a screwdriver and sit with Charlie and Angie on the empty camping chairs, gigging away as Pacifica just leaned her already-tipsy-head against her shoulder. Bill and Dipper sat down after placing all their bags in an empty tent that was set up for the two couples. Mitch already had a tent set up, allowing Dipper's system to feel more relieved that the condom was really just a joke.

Hours passed and the sun began to set before Mabel pulled out the organic hot dogs that Pacifica bought and began cooking them over the fire that Jack started. Sitting around the campfire in a circle was Pacifica with Mabel to her right then Charlie, Angie, Jack, Damien, Mitch, Bill, and Dipper on the left of Pacifica. The guitar lied on the ground between Bill and Mitch. After dinner, the sun was falling behind the horizon and Bill began strumming his guitar easily. Playing original songs to covers, everyone in the group got their chance to drunkenly sing to old classic songs.

As Mitch began passing out marshmallows and sticks that he had found around the campsite for smores Bill stood to put away the guitar. After Bill placed the instrument in the tent, he headed back to the group but ended up falling to his knees his head spinning from the alcohol. His hands instantly reached out to grab onto something and caught onto the back of Damien's chair. Everyone perked up, Dipper rising to his feet, as the former demon groaned and tried to push himself back to his feet. Damien turned to look at the former demon, eyes glossed over from either being tipsy or tears. No one could really tell.

"Sorry," Bill slurred, standing straight up and tried to walk again.

"Woah, there," Mitch soothed, moving with Dipper to Bill's side in order to guide him back to his seat.

Jack's eyes darted between Damien and Bill. Though, he had doubted the former demon was as gone as he seemed. But Damien wasn't. Drunk or not, everyone knows Damien is the most handsy friend they had. For him to blatantly not move to help irked something inside the tallest male.

Once the Bill was directed back to his seat, Jack cleared his throat and sat up, instantly gaining everyone's attention.

"We're all adults, right?" he asked, looking around slowly. The tone in his voice caused everyone to sit up straighter, suddenly switching to use the last part of their sober minds to pay attention. "And we're all friends," Jack looked from Bill to Damien slowly before continuing, "right?" Everyone nodded. "Are you sure, Damien?" His eyes coldly staring at him as if daring him.

The look on Jack's face sent an icy chill down his spine. This felt like a bad time to bring up the tension that was in the air, but there was no resistance or awkwardness in the taller man's eyes. Jack was definitely the soberest out of the entire group.

"What is this about?" Damien asked in a weak voice.

"Don't play dumb with me," Jack scowled, his gaze unwavering.

Bill gripped Dipper's hand, lowering his head in shame. "Jack," he pleaded. "Not now, please."

"No," Jack snapped and sent the former demon a stern look. "We're supposed to have a good weekend, none of this tension bullshit. Seriously, it's so awkward between you two, everyone can feel and see it. Damien, you didn't even greet them."

"I took a shot," Damien tried to argue.

"Oh, a shot and some false words that you obviously didn't mean. Really trying there, aren't you?" the taller man gave a sarcastic laugh. "When did you talk to any of them since they arrived?" Jack shot back. "What conversations have you had with anyone since they arrived? You were all chatter before they showed up, but barely said a thing since that shot."

Damien dropped his eyes and stared at the fire, eyebrows furrowing and didn't respond. After a few moments of silence, Bill spoke up.

"I shouldn't have come," he mumbled softly, defeat in his voice.

"No. Oh my god, That wouldn't have fixed anything," Jack scolded and groaned. "This is so stupid. We all love each other. Yes, even Dipper and his family," he added quickly before anyone could respond. "I know we gave him a hard time at first, but he's here now and I think we all approve of him. At least I do, and we all know that none of you have ever introduced me to a boyfriend or girlfriend that I actually approved of yet." Everyone gave a slight nod of an agreement at that statement, "Damien, I know you don't like demons because you have a past about them. But Dipper forgave Bill and that's all that matters in this situation. Plus, we aren't in the past anymore. You need to leave that shit behind, up until you found out about the demon thing you fucking loved Bill, proving that you like him as a person. So what, things got awkward. Do you even begin to realize how many times Angie and I have fought over some petty bullshit? She's said shit that pissed me off and I've said shit that pissed her off. We stopped talking to each other at a few points. But we LOVE each other. We talk it out. We don't just give up and look away, we don't just ignore that it happened. You sit down and talk it out. Will it be awkward? Yes. Will you be uncomfortable? Yes. But the most important factor is that you care about each other. Everything will pass over time because of that, if you talk about it."

Everyone stayed silent during Jack's monologue. Dipper didn't notice the tears that were falling out of Bill's eyes right away, only catching on after he sniffed and took a wavering breath.

"Bill," Dipper whispered and stroked Bill's arm. Before he could get another word out, the former demon stood up and walked away from the group, wiping his eyes. Drawing everyone's eyes for a quick moment.

Cold washed over Dipper's chest as his heart dropped, a lump growing in his throat.

"Stop being a bitch and go talk to your friend, dammit," Jack growled to Damien, his eyes snapping back to him.

The tanned man had his eyes closed for a few moments before getting up and walking after the former demon.

A few breaths of silence passed amongst the group before Mitch broke the tension.

"Way to clear the air, dude." He breathed out a laugh. Jack gave a slight shrug and leaned back in his chair.

"It had to be done or nothing was ever going to change." Jack sighed and took a swig from the large bottle of water he had sitting at his feet.

Slowly conversation grew once again and Dipper attempted to take part in it, grateful for the words of confirmation Jack has slipped into his speech, but he couldn't help but allow his thoughts to trail towards the two men who had removed themselves from the group. Hopeful that Jack's words were the right decision to make and that this wasn't going to backfire.

The two were gone for just over an hour when Dipper stood and walked after the direction that they had gone in. He had been worried since they had left and that had only grown when he realized that there was no signal in the area that they had set up camp, surely a planned effort to pull everyone away from technology for the weekend. As Dipper walked through the trees he struggled to see through the darkness as he grew further away from the campfire which the group happily sat around. He moved between two trees and came to the edge of an open clearing, the moonlighting the area freely with the lack of leaves blocking the area, Dipper spotted the two a couple of yards away from where he stood, Bill, sitting on a rock while Damien sat on the ground with his legs up in front of him, both of them calmly speaking to each other. He slowed his walk and watched from a distance, barely being able to see them in the moonlight.

He was just about to head back when he heard his phone chime. Confused, Dipper pulled the device out and opened the message. The contact read 'Unknown' and the message consisted of a photo of the two men talking taken from the other end of the opening from where Dipper was currently standing. Panic seized in his chest as he double-checked and confirmed he had no service. While confusion still sat in his head, he dashed over to his lover.

"There's someone here!" he said rapidly as he grew closer to them and held the phone up being cautious of speaking too loudly to alert whoever it was that was watching them.

Bill and Damien looked over to the frantic man running their way, their expressions calm but alerted.

"What?" Damien asked, getting to his feet. Dipper faced the phone to the two and pointed to the end of the small meadow they were in.

"Someone took your photo from over there," he explained in a hurry.

Memories from the practice at the Shack came rushing back. Back when Mabel and Dipper's groups practiced together and Bill had received a photo message of the group practicing taken from outside of the shack, also from 'Unknown.'

The former demon rose to his feet as well and took both Damien's and Dipper's arms with both hands, pulling them back towards the group with rapid movement.

"We need to leave," he sighed, moving quickly. "Show that to Pacifica."

"We can't just abandon the trip," Damien whined, moving his arm out of the former demon's grip and around his shoulders. "We just kissed and made up!"

Bill rolled his eyes but smiled. "I mean from where we are right now," he explained. "We are safer as a group than split up."

Dipper couldn't agree more. A smile grew on his face at Damien's actions. A few weeks ago, this would have made him upset. But now, he couldn't help but feel joy at the sight of Bill happy to be on good terms with Damien again. The shorter male locked their arms together and the three made their way quickly back to camp.

The trio returned to the camp within minutes, not taking any time to stall. Dipper explains the confusing message and gave his phone to Pacifica, knowing she was still having private investigators working on who sent the first photo to Bill.

After the two absent friends enjoyed their s' mores, everyone headed to their tents to change into their pajamas. Mabel and Pacifica were the first to enter the tent to change but just as they were leaving to give Bill and Dipper their privacy, Mabel grabbed Dipper's arm.

"Hey," she whispered to him, her face flushed. "If you hear something tonight, or tomorrow, just try to ignore it or act like you're still sleeping."

Confusion washed over Dipper's face until everything clicked at once. Now was his turn to blush. Dipper's jaw dropped and he crossed his arms.

"Not in the tent!" he scolded in a harsh whisper.

"Please!" she whined in the same low whisper. "She's so hot and I can hardly hold myself back when we sleep together."

"I'm going to be sleeping with my boyfriend in the same tent," he explained quickly, motioning towards the tent that Bill had disappeared in.

"We can have a contest," she snickered, shrugging as if that was just the thing siblings do. Dipper's blush deepened.

"Mable," he scolded in his regular voice, his eyes hardening.

"Okay, fine," she frowned and crossed her arms. "We'll be quiet."

Before Dipper could argue again, the female twin turned away and jogged back to her girlfriend who was sitting next to the campfire again. Groaning, the male twin made his way into the tent.

Bill was already laying down on top of the sleeping bag with sweats and a nightshirt on. This is one of the very few times where Dipper had ever seen Bill wear clothes to sleep. And he looked downright miserable. A smile grew on his face as he watched the former demon raise the front of the shirt multiple times to fan himself.

"This is going to be a bad night," he grumbled to Dipper. Dipper moved quickly and sat on his knees on the soft sleeping bag, straddling Bill. He placed a longing kiss on the base of Bill's neck his hands instantly pulling at the shirt.

"Oh?" Dipper whispered pulling away from his neck, Bill raised an eyebrow and placed his hands on Dipper's hips. "Is there a reason?" he asked and kissed his lips.

"I overheard Mabel warning you that she and Pacifica were going to fuck while we sleep," he explained nonchalantly.

"Want to beat them to it?" Dipper smirked playfully. Bill laughed and shook his head.

"As much as I love seeing you like this," he rolled his hips and Dipper could feel his heart quicken, sending heat down to his member at the minor friction. "I would like us to be alone so I can hear all your pretty noises." A glimmer of want was in Bill's eyes as he spoke his voice husky with want, stroking Dipper's thighs slowly. Heat pulsed through Dipper's body and a small moan escaped his lips.

"What makes you think I'll be the one making pretty noises?" Dipper questioned, leaning down a bit and fully grinding into the former demon. The friction caused Bill to quickly harden and arch his back a bit, biting his bottom lip while his eyelids fluttered.

"Good point," he moaned teasingly, panting softly. "Now get off before we can't stop."

Dipper chuckled against Bill's lips before pressing against them. The kiss was deep and passionate, full of desire from both parties. Their tongues flicked together and rubbed against each other, sending jolts of pleasure through their chests and directly to their erections. The former demon broke the kiss when Dipper began grinding against him roughly. Dipper's legs began quivering in desire, struggling to hold himself up for much longer. Bill's head leaned back to expose his neck, panting harshly but didn't make any sound.

The exposed skin sent adrenaline through Dipper. He leaned in more and bit the flesh, biting down until he felt the former demon shaking with need.

"Fuck me," Bill whispered out harshly, bucking his hips up in a search for more friction.

These words drove Dipper mad, biting down harder on his lover's neck and sucking, trying to leave a dark mark. Sweat beaded down Dipper's forehead as his hands made their way down to grip Bill's butt through his sweatpants. The former demon moaned at the touch and wrapped his legs around his lover's waist.

"Everyone is still awake, you know!" a sudden voice that at that moment Dipper couldn't place called, jolting Dipper and Bill back into reality.

"Yeah, y'all know we can hear you right?" Jack's voice chuckled.

Dipper released the former demon's neck and stopped moving. Panting hard, Dipper sat upon his lover and stared down at him. Bill was panting as well with a flushed expression, his eyes gleaming with want.

"He's just too hot," Dipper called back without looking away, using Mabel's words. This earned Dipper a jab in the stomach from his blushing lover. Of course, Bill wore a smile on his face and was quick to pull Dipper back down for another 'innocent' kiss.


	29. Chapter 29

The next morning Dipper woke up with the warmth of Bill alongside him and the smell of cooking eggs filling the air. With a small yawn, Dipper stretched his arms and began the long process of getting out of the sleeping bag and to his feet, being mindful to kiss his sleeping lover's exposed neck. Shuffling across the tarped ground of the tent he exited the tent allowing him to straighten his back in a full stretch and felt several of the joints along with his body pop. The chilly air settled on his warm skin while he took the sight around him. Jack stood in front of the propane stovetop with a mug of tea in his hand, scrambling eggs in the pan. Dipper approached the table while his mouth watered at the smell of bacon. The table had covered plates with bacon, toast, and the bowl of eggs was left open, waiting for more to be added to the small pile.

"Morning," Dipper greeted, gathering some food on a plate for himself. With a hum in greeting, Jack removed the pan and filled the egg bowl then turned the stovetop off.

"Do you want tea or coffee?" he asked, glancing over to Dipper.

"Coffee, please," he grumbled. Jack grabbed a mug and poured some coffee inside from the pot that was sitting on a portable water heater. Taking the cup, Dipper thanked the tall male and walked to the fire to greet the others that were already chowing down.

To his surprise, Mabel and Pacifica were already awake with food and drinks sitting at the fire as well. The only people who weren't already up were Bill, Charlie, and Mitch. Pacifica had her head against her girlfriend's shoulder and Angie sat on the other side of Mabel, also leaning against the twin. Both seemed to look like they were hit by trucks. Sitting across from the three girls, Dipper smirked a bit and looked over to Damien.

"What happened to them?" he asked in a groggy voice.

"Angie didn't drink water," Damien explained with a mouth full of food. "Pacifica must just be weak."

"How dare you," Dipper heard Pacifica scold. "I should have you arrested for such an insult. The Northwests' are not weak."

"My bad," Damien shrugged with a humorous smile on his face. "You must have drunk a lot more than we saw."

"I didn't drink much at all!" she tried to roar but flinched at the volume of her voice, wincing as she buried her face into Mabel's shoulders.

"Did you drink water?" Dipper asked with a grin on his face.

"Water is for the weak," the rich girl mumbled.

"Your voice needs to quiet now," Angie grumbled in a motherly tone. "Some people are still sleeping; like my brain."

Jack sat next to Angie with a plate full of food and a fresh mug of tea as Pacifica rolled her eyes. Shuffling over to the male's shoulder, Angie opened her mouth as the man began eating.

"There's moreover there," Jack told the dragon before taking his first bite.

"But yours looks so good," she whined.

"Why?" Jack asked with an amused smile while he chewed. "Because it's mine?"

"Exactly," Angie stuck her tongue out then opened her mouth again. Jack sighed and reluctantly fed the girl.

Their actions warmed Dipper's heart. They seemed to be a sweet couple. Though, he never actually asked them if they were. What if they weren't though? Maybe they were just good friends? Would they be offended? Would he make them feel awkward? 'Nah, not worth the awkwardness,' decided Dipper and focused on his breakfast.

Silence fell on the small group for a while before someone woke up and exited the tent. Dipper looked over quickly and smiled brightly when he saw a sleepy, cold blond walking up, the yellow sweater that Mabel made for his birthday hugging his thin frame. Soft greetings were given, Jack motioning towards where breakfast sitting, waiting to be eaten. Before moving through, Bill pouted while looking at Dipper.

"You left me," he crossed his arms in a child-like manner.

"Sorry," Dipper's eyebrows furrowed and he sat up. "Here, sit, I'll make you food."

"Don't do it again," Bill stuck his tongue out and hugged himself tighter. "I'm going to use the bathroom first," he replied and walked away from the group.

Dipper began to prepare a plate for Bill and happily enjoyed his presence next to him as he ate his breakfast. With some food in their bellies, the group began waking up from the energy. While some of the women of the group drank mimosas prepared by Charlie, the others sipped on some water, coffee, or tea nursing some mild hangovers from the night prior.

As the group settled into a lazy discussion it was mentioned how well Bill knew the forest around them from his days roaming, this caused Mitch to excitedly propose the idea of them going on a hike to explore.

"We could look for unicorns!" Mable grinned in excitement.

"Mermaids!" Angie replied equally excited.

With a laugh, Bill agreed to take them on the small adventure in search of areas he remembered housing unicorns, mermaids, elves, and even some creatures that Dipper had never heard of before. Everyone rushed to get dressed and lace up the hiking boots that they had all brought, something that surprised Dipper as he had not considered the possibility of needing some high traction shoes, and at that they set off on an unmarked path, trusting in their guide and their knowledge of hiking.

For the most part, the hike was a calming experience with everyone laughing and joking around. Angie took some group photos as well as some landscape pictures that based on the small screen built into the camera looked amazing.

"I'll get all the group photos printed for us to have!" Angie said when she caught Dipper looking over the shoulder to catch a peek of the photos.

After about an hour of moving through the forest, Bill directed the group into a small cave opening.

"Welcome to the Underground kingdom." He grinned at the shocked faces of the group as the looked at the packed streets.

The streets of the underground kingdom we packed, from where they stood it looked like a giant shopping district that never had slow days. Creatures of light and dark moved through the streets completing whatever business they had while merchants pawned their wares in high voices to catch the attention of any and all who walked by.

However, when the group was noticed something that unnatural shot through the crowd as it grew silent, eyes glued to the new group of humans entering. As if they were rich tourists walking through a flea market they were surrounded by merchants trying to get their attention and to sell anything they had at the highest cost they could muster.

Body parts of different creatures and animals, poisons, healing potions, souls, demon contracts, anything that could be thought of there was someone there selling it.

"Come," Dipper heard a silky voice, he turned to see a beautiful fae draping an arm over Jack's shoulders, somehow making the tall man look average height. several feet away another fae was pulling on Mitch's hand. Both women were attempting to pull the men to an alcove of the large cave system.

"Come and have the greatest last day" the one pulling on Mitch's hand purred with a seductive grin.

"Back off you bitches!" Angie swatted at one of the women and once she had backed away she turned and did the same to the other.

Such tactics continued for several minutes and after continuously denying every advance the crowd dwindled into nothing and they were left to be able to explore freely.

They stuck together, being sure to pull Damien away from every tempting melody that drifted through the crowd. After a couple of hours, they decided it was time to get back to the campsite and prepare lunch.

While maneuvering through the roads Dipper froze at the sight of a group of humans sitting completely still in some chairs, and at a small counter in front of them a large troll man with bat-like wings wrapped in the fabric as if they were broken.

Dipper couldn't help but focus on the blank faces of each human and took a tentative step towards them.

"Pine tree." Bill's voice called him, but something in him had to know...

"What is this?" Dipper asked when he got closer to the troll.

"Soulless humans." The troll replied gruffly, once he raised his eyes and realized that there was human in front of him he straightened his back and put on his best salesman smile. "If you buy one, you can add a soul and trap it. They will act and talk just like the soul, great for abducting. Nobody would ever believe that they are someone else. They would just think its some crazy person. If that's your niche I can even pull the soul for you. The only payment I require is that I get to keep whichever piece you don't need." The Troll grinned widely.

With those words, Dipper felt a cold chill shot down his spine and he felt sick to his stomach. Questions of who these people were before they became this, and who they became afterward raced through his head as his eyes focused on the still grinning troll man. Dipper's mouth grew dry as he felt the sickness begin trying to push itself up.

A cold hand grabbed onto his forearm and Bill quickly pulled Dipper away from the booth, through the roads, and out into the fresh air. Dipper was silent as he walked away, trying to swallow the bile that threatened to overflow his throat and mouth. The chill of the fresh air helped ease his mind, but his stomach still wasn't doing too well. Any words that Bill attempted to say to Dipper went unheard due to his racing mind about what he just saw.

As the group of their friends began to file out of the cave dipper vaguely heard Bill tell them to go ahead and that they would meet up. They must have listened because as he began to come back to his senses it was only Dipper and Bill in the area.

Bill gently rubbed Dippers back as he couched on a rock, his head bowed towards his legs in preparation for anything to force itself out of his stomach.

"You ok?" Bill asked after a while of listening to Dipper's shallow breathing.

"Yeah.." Dipper swallowed the lump in his throat with a nod. "Let's get going, I don't want to be around here anymore."

"Sounds good. I have somewhere I wanted to just show you." Bill smiled and laced his fingers with Dippers.

Dipper followed Bill as they made their way down a trail that Dipper knew did not head back to the campsite, happy to be able to spend time alone with Bill.

"After I started working at the school," he started to explain, guiding Dipper down an unknown trail. "Every weekend that I didn't have to go grocery shopping, I would come out here and feed some of the creatures in a couple of parts of the forest. They're hard to tame, but they're everywhere."

"Feed them?" Dipper raised an eyebrow.

"They're some type of bird species," the former demon explains with a smile on his face. "Well, across from a type of bird and fox."

"What kind of animal is that?" DIpper questioned.

"Not sure," Bill admitted. "But that's what they look like to me; they're probably a new species that came because of the energy of this forest."

While he explained to Dipper what they look like and how he first saw them, they continued walking until they approached a thick, hollow tree.

"Watch this," Bill released Dipper's hand and kneeled in front of the tree.

He began humming an interesting melody, two small creatures with orange and white fur crawled out of the tree slowly. While there wasn't a long tail at the end, there was a small bobbed tail with black feathers instead of fur covering the skin. The wings folded on their backs were orange with white tips. Their small noses sniffed the air while they walked up to the humming man. Bill stopped humming and sat quietly while the two checked him out. It wasn't long before one made a mewling sound and plopped onto his lap.

"Hello there," Bill greeted happily while petting the head of the creature. The second jumped upon his shoulder and began licking his ear, causing him to laugh and shake his head.

"How are they so tamed with you?" Dipper asked, spooking the creatures that were melting against his lover. The creatures' fur rose and they stared at him, their happy energy temporarily forgotten.

"They recognize my smell," Bill explained, petting the creature on his lap until it calmed down. In return, the second planted its button Bill's shoulder but continued staring. "I made a meadow in a cave for them. It's not too far from here, I can show you one day. It's full of beautifully colored flowers with a growth blessing on them. Therefore, the more they grow, the more seeds they drop. That's their feeding grounds now."

The explanation of the meadow intrigued Dipper. Memories of the cave he found with his sister came flooding back. "Mabel and I found a cave that was full of flowers not too long ago," he remarked. "It was full of beautiful flowers and a path, we weren't sure how it was made but we were sure it was manmade."

"Really?" Bill perked up. "Like you happened to stumble upon it?"

"Yeah," Dipper nodded. "It was before we were speaking again."

The memory of silence brought down the mood a bit. As much as he tried not to show it, Dipper's shoulders slumped and he frowned a bit.

"Well, then I get to take you next time," Bill proclaimed and smiled brightly, pulling Dipper away from the darkening thoughts. Bill looked over to his lover and gave him a soft smile. "Let's go back before they get worried."

Agreeing quickly, the couple made their way back to the trail they traveled away from and headed back to the campsite. Dipper held onto Bill's hand tightly as they walked in comfortable silence.

As they grew closer to the campsite the sound of voices came from between the trees, but something seemed off about it to Dipper, and Bill seemed to notice as well as his grip on Dipper's hand tightened.

The tone that they could hear was angry, causing their steps to grow quicker, the campsite came to view but Bill's grip on Dipper's hand forced them both to stop, just out of view.

Now that they were closer Dipper could tell that Jack's voice, while still angry, was scolding someone, and a female voice replied, but not one that he was used to hearing among the nine that he knew were out in this campsite. Shifting his feet Dipper could see his old school friend Mai standing at the table that Jack was cooking at, the tall man held a spatula at her in a scolding manner.

"I do not care what it is you think you know because you're lying." He growled at the shorter girl. "So it's time for you to get the fuck out of here before they get back."

"I'm telling you the truth!" Mai exclaimed, something in her voice was distorted, but Dipper was focused on the scene in front of him more than the sound.

An annoyed groan came from Jack as he rubbed at the inner edges of his eyes. "Listen." He began, trying to keep his voice even. "If you expect me to believe you. You need some real, cold hard proof with no loopholes and no 'Maybe's' in it. Not a damn thing that you have said up until this point follows that criteria." He began flipping burgers in front of him, "So how about you just go run along and never come back here because I hate you and do not trust you." He hummed, a small smirk on his face as Angie let out a short cackle of a laugh at his brutal honesty from her seat by the fire pit. This caused Dipper to become aware of the whole group except for Mable and Pacifica relaxing by the fire as Jack cooked, almost like the small woman came from nowhere and surprised them all in the middle of a conversation or something.

Mai scoffed and stomped her foot in the dirt like a toddler. "How dare you! I'm trying to do a good thing by warning you of that slut's actions!"

Dipper's eyes narrowed, not understanding what she was trying to claim. Looking at the others, everyone was sitting by the fire and staring over to the two arguings.

"I can prove it!" she tried again.

Jack shook his head and ignored her, focusing back on cooking. Bill and Dipper were still on the very edge of the campsite, barely noticeable.

"Sweetie," Angie sighed and crossed her arms. "You look and sound like a liar. Why would Dipper cheat?"

The word "cheat" sent cold chills down Dipper's spine.

"That fucking bitch," Dipper growled to himself and attempted to take a step forward, being halted by Bill who sent him a stern look.

"Stay here," He whispered, "They won't believe her."

Dipper wanted to trust Bill's instincts, but how could he be so sure? This group of people had only just recently begun to tolerate him. They were starting from already hating him so it would be much easier for them to go back to it rather than hold on to the flimsy trust that they would have in him. Dipper's eyes bore into Bills and he swallowed the lump of anger in his throat before returning his attention to the scene.

"Because he's an attention whore!" Mai snapped at Angie, causing all three Angie, Charlie, and Jack to turn to her with anger in their eyes. "You can ask Thomas! He saw the whole thing! He saw a couple having sex in the bathroom and one of them was Dipper!"

"And what, exactly, makes you two think it was Dipper?" Mitch chimed in calmly.

"Thomas saw him!"

"Did he see the guy's faces?" Mitch questioned.

"I.. well.. it doesn't matter! Every aspect of the guy was dipper!"

Jack let out a bitter laugh at that, "Oh, so either you or Thomas, you've switched on who saw this just to let you know, saw some white dude with brown hair, no visible tattoos, no visible piercings, NOTHING discernible about him. And no one even saw the dudes face?" He questioned. "Sounds to me like you just wanted it to look like Dipper." Jack leaned over, towering over the small woman and in a whisper meant to be heard "You wish that you had walked in on Dipper fucking someone causes you to think if you get rid of Bill that means you get to have him, Don't you?"

At that accusation, Jack returned to his burgers and the crowd surrounding the fire began laughing at Mai.

"Just leave." Charlie smirked, "You have no purpose to be here anymore. So stop ruining our fun."

As this happened Mabel and Pacifica came into view from across the campsite coming from the direction that some restrooms had been set up for campers.

"Mai?" Mabel questioned in confusion at the sight of her. "What are you doing here?"

"Mabel!" Mai perked up at the sight of her. "Mabel they're making fun of me!" Tears began to well up in her eyes, a flawless performance. "I was just trying to help them!"

"Yes, good choice. Try to convince Dipper's twin sister and best friend since birth that he's a liar and a cheater." Damien chuckled at the idea of this.

With this Bill began walking towards the campsite pulling Dipper along with him. At the sight of the two men, Mai took a defensive step back, glaring at Dipper as though trying to be threatening. It was kind of adorable, to be honest, Dipper had to make a conscious decision to not smile at her attempts.

"You," she grumbled in a shaky voice, taking a step back.

"Greetings," Dipper waved with his free hand. "So, what was all of this about?"

"You being a whore!" she exclaimed.

Jack groaned and clinched the spatula he was cooking with. "Get out of here. Not only are you crazy, and evil. But the fact that you just. Keep. lying. It is so fucking annoying."

Mai was taken aback and took a step away, the tears suddenly dry and nowhere to be seen. Without another word, she turned on her heel and ran away from the campsite.

Dipper leaned against Bill's shoulder and squeezed his lover's hand. Charlie came over to the two and began rubbing Dipper's shoulder.

"Forget she showed up," Charlie soothed. "We aren't going to believe her lies."

Dipper nodded, allowing Charlie to guide them to sit around the campfire. Mabel sat down next to Dipper, leaving Bill on his other side and Pacifica on Mabel's other side.

"Where'd you guys go?" she asked in a happy tone, trying to ignore what had just happened.

"I showed him a species that you guys haven't found yet," Bill replied, draping an arm around Dipper's back.

"Lucky!" Mabel whined. "You have to show me next time!" Pacifica leaned against Mabel, trying to get her attention but failing. "What did they look like? Do they like humans? What do they eat? Are they cute?" a sparkle shined in Mabel's eyes as she went on.

Her question rampage helped encourage a smile to grow on Dipper's face, relaxing when he felt Bill's arms around him. Dipper explained what he could remember about the creatures, allowing Bill to fill in the gaps. That's when he brought up the cave the siblings visited. While they were making plans to go visit the cave again, Mabel remembered the song they started to put together. The conversation then shifted to planning on recording the track. The whole group started to speak about different acoustics and sounds to add as well as different harmonies. Mabel didn't have the notebook with the words for the song, but Angie had a lyric book inside their camper. The dragon sisters left to retrieve the book. Damien suggested a few ideas to Bill about a song he wanted to create with him. Bill got his guitar and strummed a bit so they can put together the song.

The rest of the night was filled with music, mostly covers, new and old. Nighttime came in no time, bringing out the alcohol and weed to chill for the remaining of the time awake. Bill and Dipper were the last to head to bed, feeling giggly from the weed that buzzed in their systems. The cold night had nothing on the cuddling men in the tent. With Dipper's forehead resting against Bill's, they kissed a couple of times before allowing themselves to sleep.

The next morning started abruptly, the sound of Jack's angry screaming startling everyone awake. Dipper and Bill didn't have much time to collect themselves before running out of their tent to see what happened, Pacifica and Mabel right on their tails. The entire campsite was empty, all their travel kitchen supplies, food, and chairs were gone. Everyone's heart dropping to their stomachs at the sight. The tents and all the supplies inside were still there, being clear that the perpetrators' goal was the items in the open.

"What the fuck happened?!" Jack screamed in anger.

"I bet it was that bitch," Angie growled, eyes flaring red.

Charlie transformed herself into her smaller dragon form and began sniffing around, quickly moving through the campsite, everyone watching her process as Angie stood to the side tapping her foot in anger. After a few minutes, Charlie returned to the group and transformed back, turning to her sister and giving a confirming nod of Angie's suspicions.

"Pack up and get out of here," she told everyone. "Leave this to us, we'll get everything back but don't stay here. She had help from one other person." Charlie paused and her face drained of all color, Dipper could see that Angie had straightened her back and was intently staring in the same direction as her sister. Something about their eyes shouted predator to Dipper and he couldn't help but shift his weight uncomfortably.

"Charlie?" Mabel stepped forward, voiced with concern for the sudden posture change. "What's wrong?"

"Leave now," Charlie stated and shot a glance over her shoulder at Angie who gave her a nod. At that the two transformed in front of them, turning into large forms of the cat-sized dragons he had seen before. As they stood to their full height Dipper's head barely reached their shoulders and their wings expanded, casting a shadow over the campsite before they took to the air, quickly vanishing into the forest.

Bill and dipper stood still for a few minutes as the rest of the group began moving at a quick pace, packing up everything in their tents along with the tents themselves, breaking them down in just a few short minutes. As he watched the group moving Dipper couldn't help but feel regret at the sight of their weekend being cut short because of him. Tears began fogging his eyes and he attempted to wipe them away as he glared down at the dirt.

"What does she want with me?" he questioned aloud, the tears beginning to fall, his shoulders trembling as he continued to try and hold it in.

Bill sighed softly and hugged his lover. "We'll find out," he spoke quietly and rocked Dipper. "Come on, let's start packing."

The two joined everyone and began to pack, the campsite quickly emptying in silence as things were shoved into backpacks and duffle bags. Food and drinks were easily organized into some ice chests and in no more than 10 minutes everything was put away and they began the trip back to Dipper and Mabel's parent's house, the silence surrounding them other than the sound of steps over the twigs and bush of the forest.

Once the group had made it back to the house they began to load all their items in respective vehicles, a whisper of conversation sprinkling around. Dipper could tell that both Damien and Jack seemed to be stressed about the girl's disappearance into the forest. Damien's eyes kept looking into the forest canopy, while Jack seemed quieter than usual with a deep scowl on his face, his jaw tensed as he tossed his bags into the camper.

Everyone silently agreed to meet up later in the afternoon, allowing Dipper and Bill to get dropped off at the apartment to reset from the weekend. The car ride was silent, mostly to allow Pacifica to sleep, being that she was still exhausted from having to pack to urgently and not sleeping very well. Dipper hugged his sister before grabbing their bags and guitar and seeing her off.

"I'll talk to you later Dip dip." Mable smiled giving her brother a quick hug before climbing back into the car and pulling away from the curb.

The two slowly trudged up the steps to Bill's apartment, him hauling his bag and guitar while DIpper trailed behind, both looking forward to relaxing with Angel in the living room. As they came to the top of the stairs, Dipper noticed a piece of paper taped to the door with a red header in all caps reading "EVICTION NOTICE".

Moments after Dipper had processed the words Bill seemed to have noticed it as well as he dropped his items on the ground and taking quick steps over to the door. He pulled the paper off the door and Dipper could see his eyes quickly reading the small print.

"What the fuck?" Bill whispered in disbelief. "How?"

"Did you forget to pay rent?" Dipper asked cautiously, grabbing Bill's discarded bags.

"No," Bill shook his head, "I always give the check to Andrew... it's his job to hand it in..." He spoke through gritted teeth, his grip tightening on the paper crumpling the edges a bit as his breathing grew rapid.

"I guess Andrew has some questions to answer." Dipper sighed and moved past Bill, unlocking and opening the door for him.

The door had barely opened when Bill pushed through and quickly spotted Andrew lounging on the couch with a book.

Dipper followed him in and could see Angel sleeping in a sunbeam at the top of her cat tower.

"What the fuck is this?" Bill harshly questioned tossing the paper on to the coffee table.

With an annoyed sigh, Andrew shut his book and leaned forward to read the notice, a bored expression on his face.

"Looks like an eviction notice," Andrew stated easily and leaned back to where he had been prior, opening his book once again. "Says you have a week to get out."

"And why is that?" Bill growled lowly, "I have given you every rent check for the past few months to take to the office. Where is the money."

"I'm not sure what you're talking about." Andrew shrugged, "Every dollar you give to me is mine."

"What?" Bill snapped, throwing his guitar angrily to one of the chairs. "You're stealing money?"

"You give me the checks." Andrew began explaining, as if it was obvious, standing to be able to stand over him.

"FOR RENT!" Bill shouted, "Every month since we moved in you have turned the checks in! Don't be fucking stupid!"

"No idea what you're talking about." Andrew shrugged, maintaining his bored face, but from where Dipper was standing he could swear he small the slightest twinge of an entertained smirk at the edge of his mouth.

"LEAVE! GET THE FUCK OUT!" Bill shouted and pointed at the door.

"Can't." Andrew crossed his arms "I'm here to make sure you get your punishment."

"Why do you even need the money?" Dipper chimed in, "You don't need it for anything."

"Back out of the conversation." Andrew shot a glare at Dipper, "You shouldn't even be here."

"He is infinitely more helpful than you are!" Bill growled, "Now get the fuck out of here."

"No." Andrew sighed and began to walk toward his room. "I will start packing though, hope that you have a place for us to go," he called over his shoulder disappearing into his room.

"You aren't going anywhere with me!" Bill spat, his voice cracking as tears began to form in his eyes. Once the door to Andrew's room shut Bill fell onto the couch and burst into tears, burying his face in his hands.

Quickly Dipper moved to the couch and joined him on the couch, pulling him into a hug. he gently rubbed his hand on Bill's back as he allowed him to cry into Dipper's chest. Being awoken by the screaming Angel made her way over to the couch and curled up in his lap, giving small licks to Bill's hand. After a minute Bill looked at the small cat and began stroking her soft fur, tears continuing to fall.

"I'll talk to my parents," Dipper muttered gently, continuing to rub the blondes back, "The house they built is empty, I'll see if we can stay there for a while until we can get things sorted."

Bill didn't respond, instead, he continued crying into Dipper shoulder, thoroughly soaking the area of Dipper's shirt. After several hours Bill finally grew so tired that Dipper was able to direct him to the bedroom and left him there wrapped up in blankets with Angel quickly cuddling up to his side.

Closing the door behind him Dipper moved to the kitchen and began to brew a pot of coffee. The smell began to fill the kitchen as he let out a sigh and stared at the contact number to call his mother.

The night passed slowly with Bill drifting in-and-out of sleep. Each time he awoke, Dipper woke up quickly to smooth his lover back to sleep.

Dipper's parents called him back a couple of hours after he had first talked to them and told him that they would have permission to live in the house as long as the paid the utilities that would be charged to them every month.

After speaking to his parents Dipper got on to the computer and started the process of setting up his accounts for water, electricity, and the internet. Of course, Dipper knew that they couldn't stay there forever, but his parents did offer a leasing term of two years, which should be enough time for them to get their grounding and to find a home of their own.

By the time the sun had begun to rise Dipper was on his 17th cup of coffee without even a nap, but he was ready to assist Bill with all of his Monday morning appointments.

Bill awoke to the smell of breakfast and slowly made his way into the kitchen. The sight of Dipper moving through the kitchen warmed his heart and he began to gingerly unpack their stuff from the camping trip so that it could all be cleaned.

Once, Bill, had a load of laundry going, Dipper set the table for the two of them and let known his parent's conditions to live in their tiny home before they began eating. Bill, of course, had many questions about their conditions, wanting to know what they were and were not allowed to do during their stay in the home. Dipper informed him that while they were allowed to stay there as long as the paid the bills that came in, they also were not allowed to grow any of Bill's plants on the property, which meant that Bill would have to find a place in the forest nearby to grow while still following the town laws of Gravity Falls.

Bill, after some thought, agreed to cut his plants up until he was able to find a place to regrow safely. After finishing their breakfast they began to pack up any loose items around the apartment and had almost finished by the time that they left for Bill's 10 am appointment. Because they had a decent amount of time before the appointment, Dipper offered to walk Bill to it which he immediately agreed to.

"So," Dipper squeezed Bill's hand as they made their way down the street. "When we get back, I'll ask about getting paid for working at the Shack. It'll help with bills."

"I'll try to get my money back," Bill grumbled, in a less enthusiastic tone, staring at the ground.

"I know it's not fair," Dipper sighed letting go of Bill's hand to wrap an arm around the smaller man's waist. "But we'll get through this. You're not alone anymore. I'm always with you."

Bill remained silent but gave Dipper a small smile before his gaze returned to the ground.

Silence drowned the couple for several minutes until a large black vehicle screeched on the road and stopped in front of them. Instantly, Dipper stopped and helped Bill back, who didn't notice what happened until Dipper began running in the opposite direction than they came in.

Screams have erupted in different sounds, some sounding like different languages from the people in masks that jumped the couple. Hammers were hitting their temples before they were able to get five feet away from their attackers. Within minutes of the attack, both Bill and Dipper were knocked unconscious, being pulled into the vehicle that no one seemed to notice.


End file.
